Ex-Wesmeath star to run in next general election

July 06, 2018

Westmeath manager Michael Ryan and selector Alan Mangan.
©INPHO/James Crombie.

Former Westmeath footballer and current hurling selector Alan Mangan has been selected by the Labour Party to contest the next general election in the Longford-Westmeath constituency.  

The 39-year-old father-of-three was the scoring star when Westmeath defeated Laois after a replay to win their first and only Leinster SFC title in 2004, having won an All-Ireland U21 medal five years earlier. He continues to line out for his club St. Malachy's and was on the sideline in Croke Park last Sunday when the Lake County hurlers lost the inaugural Joe McDonagh Cup final to Carlow.

The Castletown-Geoghegan native was joint-manager of the Westmeath ladies football team that claimed All-Ireland intermediate honours in 2011 and led Tyrrellspass to back-to-back Westmeath SFC final appearances in 2016 and '17, only to lose to St. Loman's on both occasions.

"As a proud GAA man, I know the importance of building a strong team and leading on the pitch, working together, putting in long days and nights training. That's why the work starts tonight," Mangan said at last night's selection convention in Mullingar, which was brought about by the announcement by Deputy Willie Penrose that he will not be contesting the next election.

Be sure to follow the hoganstand.com match tracker this weekend for all the live action from the All-Ireland football and hurling qualifiers and the Leinster SHC final replay.


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