In a surprise move, Jack Cooney has stepped down as manager of the Westmeath senior footballers, having been appointed the GAA’s National Player Development Lead by Croke Park.
Cooney has been at the helm in Westmeath since 2018 and only this season guided his native county to victory in the inaugural Tailteann Cup championship.
The 51-year-old departs on a high having been closely involved with Westmeath for the past two decades, during which he served as a selector under the late Páidí Ó Sé in 2004 as the Lake County won their only Leinster Senior Football title.
