Carr will not take up role with westmeath u21 football team

WESTMEATH senior football boss Tom Cribbin has moved to clarify the confusion that recently surfaced in relation to the county U21 manager position.

Cribbin was appointed as Lake County senior and U21 manager early in the month and soon afterwards it was announced that Tom Carr, the former Westmeath minor manager, would be joining the U21 backroom team in a coaching role.

Subsequently, several media outlets reported that Cribbin felt unable to combine both the senior and U21 posts until January - with the former Offaly and Laois boss saying that Carr had agreed to manage the U21 side until the New Year, thus allowing Cribbin to get to grips with the senior panel.

However, it appears the move didn’t sit comfortably with certain local club delegates, who had given Cribbin’s appointment the green light on the basis that he would manage the U21 and senior teams.

The result, as Cribbin confirmed to the Westmeath Independent on Monday, is that Carr will not be involved with the U21 team in 2015.

Instead, Cribbin confirmed he will manage both sides and his U21 backroom team will consist of Michael Ennis (Ballinagore), David Martin (Maryland), Frank Mescall (Ballynacargy) and Graham O’Connor (Killucan). Cribbin also confirmed that Pierce Corroon (Mullingar Shamrocks) has agreed to become a selector with the senior side alongside Gary Connaughton (Tubberclair) and Mark Kavanagh (Portlaoise). John Doran is also part of the set-up in the role of strength and conditioning coach.

Regarding the Tom Carr situation, Cribbin said the pair sat down last midweek and decided between them that Carr would step back from the set-up.

“There was no agenda. I felt Tom Carr’s experience with the minors would help until January, allowing me to get a firm grasp on the senior team. Tom Carr never wanted to be U21 manager and was only going to help in a busy period. I am very happy with the U21 backroom team - they’re all of high calibre,” said Cribbin.

The County Board was criticised in some quarters for taking too much time before appointing Cribbin, and this latest cloud over Westmeath football is unlikely to sit comfortably with local Gaels.

On the plus side, Cribbin said that senior team training is progressing quite nicely. A group of around 50 players - excluding the Garrycastle contingent - has trained four times in Mullingar and Cribbin is content with the early signs.

“The players are very enthusiastic and I think they will surprise a few people next year,” he said.

“There’s a lot of potential in the county and the players are very keen to do well. I am positive about what can be achieved,” he added.