When Westmeath played Cork last weekend in the Lidl Div. 2 LGF National League a familiar name was missing from the team for the first time in 15 years (give or take a cruciate injury or two) as Karen Hegarty has retired from the inter-county game. 

Karen first lined out for WestmeathLadies Gaa in 2010, a year the county had only a single victory. Peter Leahy promised an All-Ireland title the following year and delivered.  Westmeath lost just once (it had to be to Waterford, of course) in  the 8 matches played in the National League Div. 4 and 7 more played on the march to the All-Ireland Intermediate title and lifting the Mary Quinn Cup in Croke Park. Karen featured in 14 of these matches, was Player of the Match in the League Final, the second highest scorer in the League campaign with 3-17 (the great Emma Morris topped the scoring charts with 1-26) and scored a vital goal in the drawn All-Ireland final against Cavan. In between there was also a Leinster title victory.  A great start to a great career inspired by a wise decision to ignore the advice of sister Sophie and mum Antoinette not to join the Westmeath panel but to focus on the Leaving Cert studies instead! 

Karen’s career was never about winning medals or trophies. It was all about the pride of representing Westmeath and the love of the game. Nevertheless, Karen departs the inter-county stage with a significant collection of medals and achievements including two All-Ireland Intermediate medals (2011 and 2021), Div. 2, 3 and 4 National LGF medals and a Leinster Intermediate medal (2011). In addition, Karen is a member of a small band of Mullingar Shamrocks members to have represented Leinster. Karen has stepped on to Croke Park in 4 All-Ireland Intermediate finals, 2011 draw and replay; 2020 in an empty Croke Park in the year of Covid that was the Vikki Wall final, and in 2021 against Wexford, a day that saw 8 members of Mullingar Shamrocks involved (Did Karen play more often in Croke Park than Cusack Park?).
  

In the week that Maurice Brosnan wrote in the  Irish Examiner about the player drain in LGF in an article headed ‘AFLW far from the greatest threat to Ladies’ football’, Karen Hegarty’s remarkable and long career should be recognized. It is no surprise that Karen should leave the big stage without any fanfare. As we know in Mullingar Shamrocks that is how Karen goes about her business. Without fuss. 

We look forward to many more years of input from Karen in coaching, playing and administration at club level and congratulate Karen on a wonderful inter-county career.