By Paul O’Donovan
Everyone knows that Kerry GAA legend Páidí Ó Sé was the manager of Westmeath when they won their first and only Leinster senior football title, twenty years ago, in 2004. However not everyone knows how a legend of the GAA decided to become manager of a County that had never won their own Provincial title, let alone an All-Ireland senior title. Well, much of the credit for Páidí coming to Westmeath is down to Mullingar Shamrocks club man Des Maguire, who was Vice-Chairman of the Football Board back in 2003.
Westmeath had enjoyed great success under manager Luke Dempsey in the years leading up to 2003, winning the All-Ireland Under 21 title in 1999 and the Leinster Under 21 title in 2000, but Luke and Westmeath had decided to part ways. It left Westmeath searching for a new football manager.
