O Se's alchemy brings gold once more

Leinster SFC Final He'd said his few words for television and got a fair wrestling from the Westmeath supporters, but the first thing Páidí Ó Sé wanted was a shower. As far as he was concerned history had taken care of itself. Freshly scrubbed, he then launched into a stirring post-match oration that had the players applauding him once more. God knows what he was like at half-time.

"This will be the real test of the team," he explained to a media frenzy, "and something we're going to watch very closely. Because we actually do believe we are a very formidable outfit. And it would be wrong of this team and their supporters if they did want a tour of Westmeath for the next two weeks, and undo everything we achieved here by giving a shabby performance in the semi-final. And I can assure you that will not happen."

This was Ó Sé at his devilish best. Playing things up and playing things down at the same time. Perfect, too, in describing his influence on the Westmeath team.

"They just needed to be tidied up," he added. "To be disciplined a little more, and a solid source of professionalism to come into their whole system. And I think we managed to do that.

"As well as that, we got a few rubs of the relic along the line. We had our luck against Offaly, and even today they got through for a goal that should have been in the back of the net. But we'll take whatever luck the gods give us because Westmeath have had enough days here when they've had games wrapped up, only to lose it at the post."

Before parting, his pays tribute to Mick O'Dwyer, outsmarted on this occasion but still a world above: "Sure he's done it all. He's the best manager of all time. Mick O'Dwyer has forgotten more about football than I ever will know. He went out there and got a team playing good football just as he did with Kerry teams for 20 years."

Words then follow from the real heroes of the day. Like captain David O'Shaughnessy: "Hopefully this will give all the youngsters of Westmeath something to look up to. Something they can strive to even better."

Even during those opening 20 minutes not one of them lost heart.

"No, shots either go wide or they go over the bar," O'Shaughnessy continued. "Part of that is luck. And we were just unlucky for that first 15 or 20 minutes. But we didn't mind not scoring. Laois were only three points up. That was no reason to panic. And we knew with the self-belief in this panel that we could turn it around."

Last words to O'Dwyer, who, behind his kind face and soft features, reveals a sorry state of mind. The reason is playing All-Ireland champions Tyrone in next Sunday's All-Ireland qualifier.

"Ah sure, eight days is crazy. The whole thing is a joke. You're being penalised for being in a provincial final. Whereas Tyrone have been given three weeks of a rest. So to ask a team to turn out straight away after this is not on. But sure, we have to come back and fight again."