‘Players were gunning to achieve something that was never done before’
Team trainer Tomás Ó Flatharta on the historic march to Leinster glory
One autumn afternoon in 2003, Tomás Ó Flatharta, overwhelmed with his banking job in Dublin, received an unexpected call from an old friend. This friend, a decorated footballer with eight All-Ireland medals, had also managed Kerry to two All-Ireland titles before parting ways with his native county. It was Páidí Ó Sé, the new Westmeath senior football manager.
“Páidí asked me to meet him in Dublin, which I did,” Tomás recalled. “He asked me if I would go down to Westmeath with him to pick a few selectors on a Saturday night. I said, ‘Jesus, how do I pick a selector when I don’t know anybody there?’” Despite his reservations, Tomás agreed. Páidí's previous choice had declined, leaving him puzzled that anyone would turn down a man with such accolades.
“He said, ‘Sure you’ll come in with me and train them’. I told him I wouldn’t honestly have time because it was 2004, and I was working in the bank in Dublin. It was really busy and the M50 was being dug up at the time. ‘We’ll send a helicopter up for you," promised Páidí. Tomás said, ‘I’m working above in Westmoreland Street, where will you land a helicopter?’ He told me they’d land it over at Leopardstown Racecourse. I said I’d be down in Westmeath quicker than I’d be in Leopardstown. I eventually went to my boss, and he OK’d it. That was the start of it.”
Tomás spent five years with Westmeath, during which he eventually managed them to a Division 2 title in 2008, defeating Dublin in final. Interestingly, Tomás had almost taken a different path, having been approached by Kevin Heffernan to get involved with the Dublin minors before deciding to join Páidí.
“The reason was that I knew Páidí. I had played with him for An Ghaeltacht, and I knew him being a manager with West Kerry. All I knew about Westmeath was Dessie Dolan. That was it. I didn’t even know what type of player Dessie Dolan was but that’s all I knew.”
However, the first game with Westmeath, a challenge match against Dublin at St Jude’s, Templeogue revealed the team's poor state. “I remember being on the sideline in Jude’s, and I was sitting beside Páidí. Westmeath were worse than useless that day. They were absolutely terrible. Páidí turned to me and said, ‘Jesus, what have we let ourselves in for here?’”
Despite the rocky start, the "Páidí factor" soon took effect, bringing a mix of glamour and professionalism. The team travelled to Sunderland, managed by Mick McCarthy, for a rigorous training stint. This experience was an eye-opener for the players. Back home, they continued training intensively in Ballinagore and Shandonagh.
After Christmas, Westmeath entered the O’Byrne Cup, drawing large crowds and defeating Louth, Kildare, and Carlow before losing to Meath in the final. The league campaign that followed was tough, but they managed to beat Mayo to stay in Division 1. The heavy training schedule contributed to the poor results, but it was all part of Páidí's plan.
“I used to love going down for the sessions. I was probably the only person on the field who enjoyed them because they used to be rough. But they had to be because Páidí had given me a specific instruction. ‘I don’t give a fiddler’s f*** about the league, but have them fit for me for the championship,’ he said. ‘You work on them below the neck, and when you have them right for me, I’ll work on them above the neck.’ And my God almighty, he really knew how to do that, and on the day of a game, he was exceptional in a dressing room.”
Momentum took over when they beat Offaly for the first time since 1949 in round one. “Everybody was gunning to do something that was never done before,” Tomás said. The dedication was evident as players working abroad returned home to be part of the team, and supporters went to great lengths, including taking a case to the High Court to lift a suspension on Rory O’Connell.
“The solidarity and drive off the field began to reap dividends on the field. Páidí’s influence was a huge factor in all of this,” Tomás explained. “The Offaly game was supposed to be in O’Connor Park, and he kept saying to me, ‘I’m going to get that game into Croke Park, and if we get those fellas in Croke Park, we are going to beat them.’ He convinced the players that if they won against Offaly, they would make it to the Leinster semi-final, and then to the Leinster final. The team started believing in his vision and worked tirelessly.”
A greater challenge awaited them in the quarter-final against Dublin, but as Tomás recalled: “Páidí loved playing against the Dubs.” Despite a slow start, the team rallied and played excellently, leading to a victory. Against Wexford in the semi-final, they executed a successful plan to neutralise key players like Mattie Forde and qualified for their first Leinster final since 1949.
On July 18, Westmeath faced Mick O'Dwyer's Laois, the defending champions, in the Leinster SFC final. “There was the Páidí versus Micko factor, and then there was the fact that Westmeath and Laois had met quite a number of times at underage level. There was a big rivalry there as well,” Tomás recalled.
The first match ended in a draw, but Páidí’s ability to lift the team’s spirits was crucial. “He said, ‘For f*** sake, why are ye like that? Would you ever lift your faces? We are going to come back here next week, and we are going to win this thing.’ He changed the mood straight away with a few of the things he said. He was fantastic at that sort of thing.”
In the week leading up to the replay, training was minimal to let the players recover. The strategy worked, and Westmeath won the Leinster final, bringing home the Delaney Cup for the first time. The streets of Mullingar were filled with jubilant supporters celebrating the historic victory.
Reflecting on the journey, Tomás acknowledged the importance of key figures like Paddy Collins and Jack Cooney, who knew the players well and provided invaluable support. He also remembered those who were no longer with them, including groundsman Gilbert Carey, chairman Denis Coyne, and strength and conditioning coach Poggy Lynn.
“It’s also great that some of the players are still involved as well, with Dessie and John Keane involved with the senior team. Then there is Dr Jerry O’Flynn. He is still there 20 years later and I’d say he was there 20 years before that as well. What a servant to Westmeath football.”
In Kerry, success is measured by All-Ireland wins, but for Westmeath, the 2004 Leinster title was monumental. “The importance of winning this thing was reflected in the support on the streets that night when the lads went home with the cup. I don’t know how many were on the streets of Mullingar that night but it was mayhem.”
Tomás also shared a humorous anecdote from the victory parade. “I remember going down on the bus, and the driver, Pat Slevin, was blowing the horn every minute. My ears were ringing, and I said to Séamus Browne: ‘Will you ever tell him to stop blowing the horn?’ Someone let a roar back at me. ‘Tell him to f*** off! We’re coming down here for the last 40 years, and we’ve been waiting 40 years to be able to do this going through Enfield!’ So I said fair enough!”
Despite the disappointment of a narrow defeat against Derry in the All-Ireland quarter-final, the summer of 2004 remains a cherished memory for Tomás and everyone involved in Westmeath football. The legacy of that season is still felt, with many former players and staff continuing to contribute to the team.
Overall, the story of Westmeath’s remarkable journey to the 2004 Leinster title is a testament to the power of belief, hard work, and the inspirational leadership of Páidí Ó Sé.
Interview: Paul Hughes.