Tommy Carr is to be the new Westmeath minor football manager.

In what is seen as a major coup by the Westmeath minor board, the former Dublin, Roscommon and Cavan senior boss has agreed to manage the Lake County under 18s for the next three years. Having lived in Ballinea, Mullingar for the past decade or so, Carr is familiar with the Westmeath football scene and has managed and played for his adopted Shandonagh in recent years. He also had a stint as manager of Tyrrellspass in the mid-1990s before taking over Dublin.

While Westmeath have had an abysmal record in minor football since their last Leinster MFC success in 2000 - Carlow, Kilkenny and Wexford are the only counties they've beaten in the intervening period - Carr is expected to have a talented crop of players to work with over the next couple of years. This year's Westmeath under 16 team won the Gerry Reilly and Fr Manning Cups, and has gone through the season unbeaten, while last year's team also captured the Gerry Reilly Cup and lost the Fr Manning Cup final to Sligo after extra-time.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife that another former Dublin manager - Humphrey Kelleher - will act as a coach to the Westmeath minor hurlers next year. The Waterford native, who managed the Dublin senior hurlers from 2003 to 2005, will link up with Ray Gavin, who will continue in his role as manager after guiding the Lake County to a Leinster semi-final appearance this summer. Westmeath had wins over Carlow, Laois and Offaly, and ran Kilkenny to two points, before losing to All-Ireland runners-up Dublin by six in Parnell Park. Tweet

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