Leinster Under-21 FC: Westmeath 1-10 Wexford 1-7: Westmeath survived an early and late scare at Wexford Park on Saturday to advance to the next round of the Leinster under-21 championship, to face Kilkenny.
Westmeath started without senior John Connellan, who tweaked a hamstring, and were reduced to 14 men with over 10 minutes to go but saved their best football for that period.
Full forward David Glennon scored a goal and five points from the placed ball, including a first-half penalty, which he swept low and to the goalkeeper's left.
The dismissal, for a second yellow card, of Westmeath captain Francis Boyle should have opened the game up for Wexford, then trailing 1-4 to 1-9, but Westmeath held on to the ball when they had to.
The Slaneysiders took an early lead when a sideline ball was drilled in low by Peter Hughes and went off the unsighted goalkeeper into the net.
Wexford's forwards seemed reluctant to track back, and in the second half they brought Hughes back to midfield. This failed to have the desired effect, Westmeath starting the half with three unanswered points.
Wexford also had a penalty decision waved away as the referee played advantage, and though PJ Banville shrugged off his markers, his shot struck the post and flew back out.
Immediately Westmeath attacked down the right and, thanks to Glennon's impeccable aim, found themselves three points up rather than one point down.
Wexford, to their credit, won the midfield battle, Rory Quinlivan exceptional in the air.
Westmeath's defence worked well but they remain a work in progress. Five of their starting forwards scored, but their nine wides from 12 scoring chances from play were a modest return.
WESTMEATH: D Bryan; J Lynch, F Boyle (capt), K Gavin; G Crowley, B Nannery, M Curley; D Duffy, G Hoey (0-1); A Whitney, C Reilly (0-1), L Folan (0-1); A Devine (0-1, free), D Glennon (1-5, goal a penalty, five frees), M Boyle (0-1).
WEXFORD: P Kavanagh; C Murphy, L Kent, M Mythen; C Lawlor, B Malone, A Doyle; R Quinlivan, I Murphy; S Roche, P Byrne, PJ Nolan; C Lyng (0-2), PJ Banville (0-5, three frees), P Hughes (1-0).
Referee: E Kinsella(Laois).
