Spirited Westmeath very unlucky to lose third successive league tie

Meath 1-12Westmeath 2-8Unfortunately, moral victories don't earn precious National Football League points, but Westmeath's senior footballers emerged from Páirc Tailteann last Saturday with their pride restored, having come tantalisingly close to emulating the under-21s earlier in the day with an all-too-rare competitive win over Meath.After defeats to Donegal and Armagh in their opening fixtures, Westmeath were rank outsiders last Saturday in Navan, a situation reflected in the very small maroon and white-clad crowd who made the short journey to Meath GAA headquarters. The early exchanges made the bookies' pre-match odds seem spot on, the home side racing ahead by 1-3 to 0-0 after only 12 minutes.However, a combination of Meath's profligacy and Westmeath's admirable fighting spirit kept the Lake County right in touch and, had Paul Bannon found the range from a kickable free in the second (and supposedly last) minute of added-time in the second half, a famous victory would surely have been garnered. As it transpired, the referee continued to play on from David Lyons' ensuing kick-out and the never-say-die Meathmen eked out a scarcely-deserved win with Stephen Bray's late, late winner, with the suspicion remaining that Kieran Gavin was entitled to a free out in the last dramatic action. It was a cruel blow for Brendan Hackett's charges whose bravery in adversity was commendable, albeit against a disappointing Royal outfit.On a cold but pleasant evening, Páirc Tailteann looked resplendent for this floodlit tie, even if from a reporter's perspective it was anything but straightforward to make out players' identities on the terrace side of the pitch. Joe Sheridan was wide in the first minute from a '45', but the full forward (one of a number of Meath players whose head was shaven for charity last week) more than made amends some four minutes later when he collected Stephen Bray's pass and turned sharply before firing a great shot low to the net. Jamie Queeney soon added a point from a free on the 45-metre line. A rare Westmeath attack, instigated by a great run out of defence from Francis Boyle, ended with Paul Greville shooting tamely into the side netting. The Bray brothers then combined for David to open his account and a foul on Stephen gave Jamie Queeney the chance to pop over a 30-metre free. Only 12 minutes had elapsed and the home side were six points to the good and many Westmeath fans were fearing that the predicted rout would materialise.Both sides proceeded to miss chances, with David Duffy particularly unlucky when his fine effort came back off the woodwork. The burly Joe Sheridan was causing the losers' defence a lot of problems but, thankfully for the visitors, his shooting was not up to scratch. Paul Greville was wide from a good position, but he was doing well overall to gain possession and a somewhat innocuous foul on the Killucan man resulted in a Westmeath penalty in the 22nd minute. Paul Bannon dispatched the spot kick with aplomb low to David Lyons' right for a tonic goal. The dedicated Athlone man followed up with a lovely point from a tight angle and, all of a sudden, Westmeath were only two points in arrears.UnansweredMeath got on top again and rattled over five unanswered points between the 26th and 38th minutes, the scores coming from lively corner forwards Stephen Bray (two), David Bray (two - the second from a free) and overlapping wing back Seamus Kenny. However, the main talking point during this period was what looked like a serious head injury sustained by David Duffy, the Shandonagh midfielder being carried off on a stretcher. Thankfully, Brendan Hackett confirmed after the game that Duffy was not badly hurt. The lengthy delay meant that six minutes added-time were stipulated and Paul Bannon wrapped up first-half scoring when he converted a 30-metre free in the 40th minute. A poor effort from Gavin Hoey proved to be the last kick of the first moiety, with the scoreboard reading: Meath 1-8 Westmeath 1-2.The Westmeath mentors stayed on the pitch to sort out switches for the second half and the lads in maroon and white emerged for the resumption of play with Gary Flanagan and Stephen Bracken at midfield, Donal O'Donoghue at centre half back and Michael Ennis at centre half forward. A brace of points from Paul Greville - a 25-metre free and a neat point on the turn - reduced the deficit to four points within four minutes of the re-start. The hard-working Doran Harte shot weakly wide for the visitors, before a patient move by Eamonn O'Brien's men ended with Stephen Bray pointing in style. A dangerous crossfield ball from Ronan Doolin was cleared by the home defence as Westmeath players continued to work hard throughout the pitch.With a quarter of an hour elapsed, Paul Bannon tapped over a 25-metre free after Doran Harte was fouled. Meath spurned a half-chance of a goal and a plucky visiting side responded with a fine point from substitute Philip Gilsenan. An eye-catching solo run from Gavin Hoey came to nothing, despite the pleas of an unmarked and well-positioned Michael Ennis for a pass. However, there was to be no denying the Ballinagore man in Westmeath's next attack, when he took Philip Gilsenan's pass and fired a great shot to the roof of David Lyons' net from 15 metres.The sides were now level (1-9 to 2-6) and serious unease was developing among the predominantly home crowd. A lovely point from David Bray settled Meath's nerves but, cometh the hour cometh the man, and Michael Ennis gave Westmeath the lead with a brace of excellent points with his supposedly weaker left foot. Sandwiched between these, Philip Gilsenan was denied a third Westmeath goal from point-blank range. On the half-hour mark, David Bray spurned a glorious chance of an equaliser from a 30-metre free as some jitters crept into a hitherto-heroic Westmeath defence. Jamie Queeney also contrived to miss a sitter from a free, the ball being gratefully collected by Gary Connaughton. However, the Bray brothers combined for David to level the tie in the second last minute of normal time. An injured Francis Boyle then had to leave the pitch as a draw looked certain, but the drama was far from over. A foul (albeit less than blatant) on substitute Willie Coyne gave Paul Bannon an opportunity to eke out an unlikely win, but his free from 30 metres tailed wide. As murmurs of Dessie Dolan's infamous championship miss of 2003 reverberated around Páirc Tailteann and spectators prepared to head for the exits with the allocated added-time (two minutes) now expired, the referee decided to play on and the eternal never-say-die exponents in green and gold worked the ball to Stephen Bray who shot a glorious winning point.Brendan Hackett's post-match cliché about being "as sick as a parrot" succinctly summed up every Westmeath Gael's viewpoint at 9 pm last Saturday. However, the day overall has to be marked down as a progressive one for Lake County football. The trick now is to convert progress into precious league points. And quickly!Meath: David Lyons; Niall McKeigue, James Macken, Eoghan Harrington; Chris O'Connor, Barry Regan, Seamus Kenny (0-1); Nigel Crawford, Mark Ward; Ollie Lewis, Jamie Queeney (0-2, 0-1 from a free), Anthony Moyles; David Bray (0-5, 0-1 from a free), Joe Sheridan (1-0), Stephen Bray (0-4). Subs: Niall Mooney (for Lewis, 62 mins), Shane McAnarney (for Kenny, 63 mins).Westmeath: Gary Connaughton; Francis Boyle, Kieran Gavin, John Gaffey; Doran Harte, Michael Ennis (1-2), Damien Healy; Donal O'Donoghue, David Duffy; Ronan Doolin, John Smyth, Paul Bannon (1-3, 1-0 from a pen, 0-2 from frees); Tommy Warburton, Paul Greville (0-2, 0-1 from a free), Gavin Hoey. Subs: Stephen Bracken (for Duffy, inj, 34 mins), Gary Flanagan (for Smyth, half-time), Willie Murtagh (for Doolin, 50 mins), Philip Gilsenan (0-1) (for Warburton, 54 mins), Willie Coyne (for Boyle, inj, 70 + 1 mins).Referee: Jimmy White (Donegal).