Jack Cooney (born 1971) is a Gaelic football manager and former player for the Westmeath county team. He was manager of the Westmeath county team between 2018 and 2022.

Jack Cooney
Personal information
Born 1971 (age 52–53)
Club(s)
Years Club
Coralstown/Kinnegad
Inter-county(ies)
Years County
1988–2000
Westmeath

Playing career

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Cooney began playing for Westmeath when he was 17 years of age, which was in 1988, and after playing became involved as a selector, including with the Páidí Ó Sé-led 2004 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final-winning team.[1]

He stopped playing for Westmeath in 2000, when he was 29 years of age.[2]

He played for Westmeath for twelve years, coaching the team for six years under the management of Páidí Ó Sé, Tomás Ó Flatharta and Luke Dempsey before the county board gave him the senior managerial job.[3]

Managerial career

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Cooney managed Coralstown/Kinnegad to the 2011 Westmeath Intermediate Football Championship title.[4]

He first applied for the Westmeath senior managerial position in 2014.[5] A selector under Páidí Ó Sé, Cooney's appointment as Westmeath senior manager was ratified in September 2018, making him the first Westmeath native to fill the role since 1992.[6]

He nearly led Westmeath to a Leinster final in 2021 but Kildare prevented this.[7]

On 23 September 2021, he was ratified for a further two-year term ahead of the 2022 season.[8] However, Cooney resigned unexpectedly in August 2022 to take up a player development role at national level within the GAA.[9]

Cooney's club management experience before the Westmeath senior appointment involved managerial roles with Rhode, Newbridge and his home club Coralstown/Kinnegad.[6]

Cooney is a former Donegal selector too and is married to a woman from Kilcar.[10]

References

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  1. ^ Boyle, Donnchadh (17 June 2022). "22 not out – Westmeath cause still important to Jack Cooney's life". Irish Independent. Archived from the original on 30 June 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  2. ^ "'He'd a great sense of people, a very passionate man and it was great to be around him'". The42.ie. 25 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  3. ^ O'Brien, Kevin (17 June 2022). "'I was blessed to be in with Paidí and that team of 2004. That was magical'". The42.ie. Archived from the original on 17 June 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  4. ^ "Looking back on Westmeath intermediate finals past". 24 September 2020. Archived from the original on 6 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Keane edge can give a 'bounce' to Westmeath". Irish Independent. 3 December 2021. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Westmeath announce appointment of new football and hurling managers". The42.ie. 13 September 2018. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  7. ^ "Jack Cooney given extension as Westmeath football manager". Westmeath Examiner. 24 September 2021. Archived from the original on 14 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Fortune favours Westmeath". Hogan Stand. 23 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Jack Cooney exits Westmeath to take up GAA player development job". RTÉ. 27 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Westmeath manager pays special visit to Donegal youngster in hospital". Hogan Stand. 11 July 2022. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Westmeath Senior Football Manager
2018–2022
Succeeded by