The 2008 Westmeath under 21 footballers blew a glorious chance to reach their first Leinster final in eight years when they suffered a home defeat to Wexford in the quarter-final last March. Here, we look back on a disappointing campaign for Tomas O Flatharta's fledgling side. The Lake County's poor recent record in the Leinster under 21 football championship continued last year when they succumbed to a late Wexford rally in their quarter-final clash at Cusack Park. With 10 minutes remaining, Westmeath looked destined to reach the semi-finals but a late lapse in concentration was capitalised on by the visitors who snatched a 1-10 to 1-9 victory courtesy of a Shane Roche point in injury-time. It was a long overdue win for the Slaneysiders, who finally got the better of the midland outfit after bowing out at their hands in each of the three previous years. For Westmeath, however, the defeat was viewed as a missed opportunity. With Dublin, Kildare and Meath once again pitted together on the opposite side of the draw, and Wicklow eliminating 2007 All-Ireland runners-up Laois, it was difficult not to subscribe to the view that Westmeath had blown a glorious chance to reach their first provincial final since 2000 when the then All-Ireland champions retained their provincial crown with a dramatic win over Meath. Instead, Wexford went on to beat surprise packets Wicklow in the semi-final to set up a Leinster final meeting with Kildare at Wexford Park. While the Westmeath team wasn't considered as strong as the 2007 side which lost to Laois in dreadfully disappointing circumstances, it still contained a number of players with senior experience, including Kieran Gavin, who has established himself as the best full back in the county over the past 12 months, Andrew Whitney, Tommy Warburton, Aidan Browne, Keith Scally, John Connellan and James Durkan. Indeed, the latter two were still minors when they featured in the senior side's run to the All-Ireland quarter-final in 2006. In a change from previous years, the under 21 team came under the wing of senior manager Tomas O Flatharta last season. The thinking behind this was to avoid a repeat of the conflict which had arisen in both 2006 and 2007 between the respective under 21 and senior managements over who had 'first call' on the players involved with both panels. O Flatharta's under 21 selectors were Tommy Kelly (The Downs), Padraig 'Amby' Fogarty (Athlone) and Eddie Bouabbse (St. Malachy's). After opting out of the Hastings Cup in 2007, Westmeath re-entered the pre-season competition last year which has been reduced to just four teams in recent years. The tone for a disappointing season was set when Tomas O Flatharta's charges were forced to give second best to a highly-rated Roscommon in their opening game at Ballyforan on January 16. Despite having two players red-carded in the second half, the Roscommon side, which contained no fewer than nine of their 2006 All-Ireland minor winning team, ran out convincing 2-10 to 0-9 winners. Westmeath opened brightly with three early points from John Connellan (who was subsequently stretchered off with an ankle injury), James Durkan and Keith Scally, but two goals inside the space of five minutes - the second of which was very fortuitous - helped propel Roscommon into a 2-6 to 0-6 interval lead, and their victory was never in doubt thereafter. A second defeat to Longford at the Slashers grounds followed three days later for Westmeath. Once again, the maroon and whites made a solid start, but Longford took the lead for the first time when the struck for a goal in the 19th minute. Another goal early in the second half gave the home side a three-point cushion and while Westmeath fought back to draw level on two occasions - the first after James Durkan converted a penalty - four points in the closing seven minutes handed Longford a 2-11 to 1-11 win. It was a case of third time lucky for Westmeath when they edged out Leitrim by 1-8 to 0-9 at Cloone to secure their first victory of the year. Ballinagore clubman James Durkan's haul of 1-4 proved decisive as the Lake County recovered from a 0-2 to 0-5 interval deficit to claim the spoils. Westmeath showed a marked improvement in the second half and Durkan's 49th minute penalty paved the way for a much-needed victory. However, Leitrim avenged that loss a couple of weeks later when they overcame the Lake County by 1-12 to 1-10 after extra-time in the Hastings Cup Shield final at Longford's Michael Fay Park. And whereas Durkan had been the Westmeath hero in the earlier clash, he turned villain when he missed a penalty at the end of normal time. With the score level, the normally clinical Durkan - who notched 0-8 on the day - saw his spot kick saved by Leitrim goalkeeper Colin Galligan and following that let-off, the Connacht side outscored a fading Westmeath side by 0-2 to 0-0 in extra-time to clinch victory. Westmeath opened their Leinster championship campaign on February 23 against Kilkenny in Nowlan Park. As expected, the visitors proved much too strong for the Cats, but the game was more of a contest than in 2007 when Westmeath chalked up a facile 5-18 to 0-2 win. Westmeath laid the foundations for a 1-15 to 1-6 victory in the first half, when favoured by the wind, they had established a 1-10 to 0-0 lead at half-time. The half was a constant procession towards the Kilkenny goalmouth from the moment James Durkan opened the scoring in the second minute. The Westmeath goal arrived after a speculative effort by Keith Scally rebounded from the upright and into the hands of substitute Kieran Lynam - who had replaced the injured John Connellan - who finished to the net. Kilkenny finally opened their account in the 37th minute when centre back Kieran Joyce pointed. After James Durkan slotted over two more points to extend Westmeath's advantage to 15, the visitors were guilty of becoming sloppy and complacent, and Kilkenny took advantage by scoring an unanswered 1-3. With 15 minutes remaining, Westmeath's lead was down to eight points, but then three points in as many minutes from Durkan, Alan Giles and Lynam ended all hopes of a sensational Kilkenny comeback. Westmeath's performance in Nowlan Park hardly inspired confidence, but they were still expected to see off the challenge of Wexford at Cusack Park a fortnight later. However, another lethargic display saw the home side crash to a surprise defeat. Westmeath could have no complaints, especially after they surrendered the initiative to their opponents in the second half. Managed by former Castletown-Geoghegan hurler Aidan O'Brien, Wexford were the more cohesive side and never panicked, even when the game appeared to be gone from them in the second half. Despite trailing by 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time, Westmeath looked to be in a decent enough position with a strong wind to come in the second half. Shane Roche and Niall Kilcoyne exchanged points before what looked like being the decisive score arrived in the 43rd minute when Castledaly's Brendan Kelly goaled for the home side to give them a two-point cushion. But Westmeath couldn't press home their advantage, and after Wexford got themselves back on level terms, Roche fired over the winning point. Westmeath did have two late chances, but Durkan was unlucky to hit the post with a sideline ball before Connellan wasted the last chance from another sideline kick. The Westmeath team that lost to Wexford in the Leinster under 21 championship was: Philip Shaw; Willie Murtagh, Kieran Gavin, Simon Moorehead; Andrew Whitney, Fintan O'Reilly, Tommy Warburton; Aidan Browne, Niall Kilcoyne; Conrad Reilly, James Durkan, Keith Scally; Kieran Lynam, Brendan Kelly, John Connellan. Subs used: Ciaran Curley and Johnny Dolan. Tweet

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