THE BANK of Ireland football championship arrived with a bang in O'Kennedy Park, New Ross, yesterday when a curious crowd of 2,000 saw Wexford and Westmeath finish level in their Leinster preliminary round.

Level on the scoreboard and level in the notebook of referee Seamus McCormack whose impulse to discipline led to one player being sent off and seven booked from each side. They replay on Saturday at 7.0 p.m. in Mullingar.

Although no one could describe the football as refined, it all culminated in astonishing tension and drama completely unexpected of such an lowkey encounter.

Despite Wexford's spirit, Westmeath now have the edge. Any team that so underperforms that it trails by five points going into the final quarter of a lowscoring football match has to be mightily relieved when they pull a draw out of the hat.

The decisive kick, in the third minute of injurytime, will be a cause of some regret to Wexford half back Richie Purcell who watched the ball break from a frantic Westmeath attack and, obviously believing it had come off an attacker, ushered it out of play only for a 45 to be awarded.

Martin Flanagan showed great composure to land the kick and Westmeath survived by the skin of their teeth.

After their miserable league season, Wexford attracted few backers going into yesterday's match. Fewer still, once Scott Doran was ruled out of the attack and replaced by Jim Byrne. But having started the match promisingly, Wexford were doing damage.

Leigh O'Brien lined out at right half forward and was central to their attacking threat. He had kicked three frees and set up Mick Mahon for Wexford's first goal when the wheels came off in the 21st minute of his first senior championship match.

The challenge on Paul Conway was clumsy and reckless, stopping the Westmeath man with what looked like a flailing fist. Referee McCormack, having sent off Westmeath's Anthony Coyne and failed to punish Wexford captain Barry Kirwan for another crude challenge, was unlikely to give O'Brien the benefit of the doubt and he got the line.

Westmeath sensed the upper hand and finished the half strongly with four unanswered points to level the match (1-3 to 0-6) at half time.

After the break Jason Lawlor and Kirwan landed fine points to push Wexford out in front.

One adjustment that paid dividends was the introduction of John O'Gorman at full back. The veteran defender, who was persuaded out of retirement, played a major part in tightening the reins on Kenny Lyons whose selection in the AN Other spot at full forward paid off in the first half and even under O'Gorman's supervision Lyons winkled out a brilliant right wing point

John Harrington was out standing at centrefield for Wexford and his efforts all around the pitch were probably the most significant contribution to his team's unexpected challenge. His throughball to Lawlor in the 52nd minute looked to have decided the match.

The corner forward took the ball in isolation apart from the two defenders shepherding him. Somehow he turned both of them and sprinted away from the cover before driving the ball to the net.

Unfortunately for Wexford, they gave away three avoidable frees all of which ended in points.