Westmeath stalwarts Martin Flanagan and Damien Healy have announced their retirements from inter-county football.
The Lake County’s two longest serving footballers have called time on their combined 30 years of service to the senior panel. They informed manager Pat Flanagan that they will not be making themselves available for selection in 2011.
Flanagan (pictured above) made his championship debut against Wicklow in 1995 and is regarded as one of the best players the county has ever produced. The Tyrrellspass clubman failed to win a Leinster medal with the county in 2004 as he was not selected by then manager Paidi O Se.
St. Mary’s player Healy made his championship debut for Westmeath against Carlow in 1998. He played at centre back in the 2004 Leinster championship winning team.
Meanwhile, another long serving player, Derek Heavin, has hung up his boots with the Lake County.
He has been forced to retire from football due to the horrific knee injury he sustained in this year’s Leinster SFC semi-final against Louth.
