'We Didn't Win Our Own Primary Ball' - Joe Fortune Assesses Carlow Performance

Monday, 14 February 2022 16:36

It was a first defeat in eight games for Westmeath.

It was a day during which nothing clicked for Westmeath against Carlow but manager Joe Fortune isn't hiding behind excuses in the aftermath of the game.

Westmeath sit 5th in the division 2A table after two rounds, level on points with Carlow, Kerry and Meath. Kildare are the only winless team while Down maintained their 100% record by beating the lilywhites yesterday.

Up next for the lake county is a local derby with Meath in two weeks time and Wexford native Fortune wasn't pulling punches despite a late penalty salvaging some pride on the score line in Carlow:

Do I think the lads came down here to perform like that? No. Do I think they're hurting on the inside now? Absolutely.

Some people will say 'oh it's only the national league', but it means and awful lot to the people in Westmeath and in Carlow. We just weren't good enough today and when you're not good enough, you don't win.

It's as simple as that. It's my job now to make sure we pick ourselves up. You go back a few years and Westmeath lost the first couple of games but went on to win the league.

Meath are a very good side, with a very good management team. We need to settle down, get back to business on Tuesday night and get some hard work done, get back to basics and find that hard work ethic that we're about. That just wasn't on show in this game.

On the positives to take from the game:

I thought Darragh Egerton was fantastic at the back. I thought the defense never gave up.

We just didn't win our own primary possession in the middle of the field and in the half-forward line, some of the players who have been doing really well for us during the Kehoe Cup. I don't think we've lost in seven or eight games between pre-season and competitive games but there'll be question mark over everyone now about how much they want it.

That defeat might be no harm. We're facing into a two week break now so a bit of self reflection and a bit of learning before getting back on the pitch on Tuesday evening.