Westmeath appoint new U20 football and hurling managers

Kenny McKinley has been confirmed as the new manager of the Westmeath under-20 football team.

An All-Ireland minor medal winner in 1995, McKinley was centre half-back on that groundbreaking Westmeath team. He takes over from Damien Gavin, the victorious captain of the 1995 Westmeath minors, who has shown admirable commitment to the U-20 role for a number of years.

A former player with St Loman's, Mullingar, McKinley guided St Malachy's to Westmeath intermediate championship success last year. He has also been involved with coaching ladies football teams in Loughnavalley, a club which draws players from the Castletown Geoghegan and Dysart areas.

McKinley will be assisted by Tubberclair's Gary Connaughton, a Leinster SFC medallist in 2004, who was chosen as the All Star goalkeeper in 2008.

Tommy Cleary of The Downs, a star forward on the 1995 Westmeath minor team, and Milltown's Mick Dillon will also be part of McKinley's backroom team. Dillon was a member of Dessie Dolan's management team during his two years as Westmeath senior manager.

Westmeath have never reached a Leinster U-20 final since this competition replaced the old U-21 grade in 2018. The Lake County's last Leinster U-21 success came in 2000 (winners over Meath in the final), while Westmeath last contested the final in 2010.

Meanwhile, Jody Murray is taking over as the new manager of the Westmeath U-20 hurling team.

The Castlepollard man succeeds Clonkill's Kevin O'Brien in the role. Murray's backroom has yet to be finalised.