Former All Star goalkeeper Gary Connaughton has confirmed that he has come out of retirement and will resume training with the Westmeath squad in a few weeks.
The Athlone native called time on his inter-county career in July 2013.
However, a goalkeeping crisis in the Lake County has prompted new boss Tom Cribbin to call on Connaughton in a bid to get much needed experience in the custodian role.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport following Westmeath’s loss to Meath in the O’Byrne Cup, Connaughton, who is also a selector under Cribbin, confirmed that he would rejoin the panel once he recovers fully from an injury picked up playing soccer.
He said: “I have a bit of an injury at the moment after playing junior soccer just before Christmas.
“We have a goalkeeping problem in that Stephen Gallagher did his cruciate, so he’s out for the year. Tom asked me whether I’d come back in. I’m going to go back training with the squad when I get the okay.
“I’ll give it a go. Darren (Quinn) is the only senior goalkeeper in the squad and Tom wants two senior ‘keepers.
“We did look at others and decided they weren’t up to it or just weren’t interested at playing at this level.
“I’ll see how much I can help out the team and just try and get the body right first, which will take a few weeks, and I’ll see how I am.
“It will all depend on how things go in training over the next few weeks.”
“I’ll see how much I can help out the team and just try and get the body right first" - Gary Connaughton
Westmeath failed to win a match in either league or championship in a disastrous 2014 season.
Yet, Connaughton has been impressed by the attitude shown so far by the squad put together by Tom Cribbin.
“There has been 100% commitment from the whole panel. They have given everything so far. After the year they had – winning no games – confidence was bound to be low," added the 35-year-old.
“The players are determined to put things right and get Westmeath people out supporting the team again.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day. It is going to take time to get up to a stage where the bodies are at the required level for league and championship.”
