NFL: Cooney delighted with performance in Portlaoise

Westmeath manager Jack Cooney was justifiably satisfied with his side’s display following last Sunday's victory over Laois in the Allianz Football League.

Considering that Laois came down from Division 2 last year, along with Westmeath, they would be viewed as strong promotion contenders. Laois are now under Billy Sheehan, the latest in a long line of Kerry men to manage the O’Moore County, and they came into Sunday’s game with a win over Louth under their belts, having also reached the O’Byrne Cup final.

“It was an important week for us. I think the performance was better than last week,” said Cooney.

“We played well for 15-odd minutes last week (against Wicklow). It’s important that we build game by game and we were up against tougher opposition who were in good form coming into the game.

“I think we were a bit unlucky to go in at half-time a point down. I know Laois missed a couple of chances that they would be disappointed with, but I thought we played a lot of really good football.

“It was a very tricky breeze to kick the ball into, you had to bring the ball very close to the goal. But the quality of the play up to certain areas of the field was very composed and controlled, and that stood to us in the second half.

“It was a drawn match in injury time in the first half which says a lot about our defence, considering the conditions when playing against that wind.

“Collectively the lads realised how important the game was, we talked about that during the week. Lads took on board the information we gave them and used it well,” he continued.

The contribution of the subs, particularly Sam Duncan and Kieran Martin, was another source of encouragement.

“I think the lads who came off the bench last week had an impact as well. That's important and it's a reflection of how they're going in training. Sam picked up an injury a few weeks ago and he has worked so hard to get back on the pitch. The amount of work these guys do when they're not playing games is phenomenal,” said the Coralstown/Kinnegad clubman.

The Westmeath manager is glad of a break from games next weekend, as it gives the squad a chance to get more work done in training, and he also had some sympathy for Laois, given their recent hectic schedule.

“It’s tough on Laois, that’s their fifth game in three weeks. Sometimes a run in the O’Byrne Cup is beneficial and sometimes it’s not, particularly when you have four or five games on the trot,” he said.

Cooney said established Westmeath stars James Dolan and Ger Egan are “working away in the background on their rehab” as they bid to return to competitive action.

“We can’t be rushing fellas back either. We try to bring competitiveness into training and the lads have to be ready for that,” he remarked.

Asked about competition for places in the panel, Cooney said: “That’s what we want and we’re bringing in younger fellas as well.

“Senan Baker was on the panel today and Adam Treanor from the U20s is also in training with us. Robbie Forde came off the bench today and so did Darragh Seery.

“We’re trying to blend in these young fellas, learning from the more established fellas and driving that from the training pitch; that’s where it all comes from really,” he concluded.