Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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NEW boss Jack Cooney says he’s got no problem with increased expectations after ending a 31-year O’Byrne Cup barren streak.
Westmeath did it in style too by overpowering Dublin in Friday night’s final at Parnell Park.
Dublin were in experimental mode but still possessed an arsenal of All-Ireland U-21 medal winners and two former U-21 Player of the Year winners.
Next up for Westmeath is an Allianz League Division 3 promotion challenge which begins against Offaly on Sunday week.
Fans will be optimistic and Cooney said: “They will but the thing about is that when you want to progress and to improve, expectations increase. It’s hard to get one without the other. We have no problem dealing with those expectations as long as we are making progress which we feel we are.”
Westmeath were without star attacker John Heslin who is completing his studies and could come back into the picture in the coming weeks.
Former captain Ger Egan stepped up to the plate in Heslin’s absence and drilled 1-5 against Dublin, all but a point coming from open play.
Cooney said: “A fantastic display and the goal came at the right time. In the last couple of games we’ve scored goals at the right time and it probably just knocked the wind out of Dublin a bit. They were getting some momentum at that stage.
“But in the second-half we just looked that bit more potent in our half-forward line and into the attack. We weren’t committing enough to that in the first-half. The lads took on responsibility well in the second-half.”