Kelly hopeful points will breed belief

WESTMEATH 0-16 WEXFORD 1-10

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIV 3 WESTMEATH manager Colin Kelly believes his side can still have a say in the promotion race after a comfortable victory over Wexford at Innovate Wexford Park yesterday.

Recording their second win from three games, Westmeath’s winning margin would have been far greater but for the concession of late goal, but even more damning was the fact that they kicked a total of 18 wides.

But it was still a firm thumping from the midlanders who controlled this game right through as the result lifted them back into the promotion race and Kelly believes the victory will be a boost to the sides confidence.

“It’s confidence this side needs, and this victory should help bring that. We wont get carried away with the victory, but the two points will benefit us for the remaining games,” said Kelly.

“Our movement of the ball was quite good but we have to be disappointed with our finishing. 18 wides is something we can ill-afford in tighter games, we took our foot off the pedal in the closing minutes and conceded the goal. Still we’ll be happy to take the points.’

The home side scored first through Ben Brosnan but once the visitors responded with three successive points through Kieran Martin (twice) and John Heslin to lead 0-3 to 0-1 after thirteen minutes, they went on to control most of the possession. Wexford did respond through Paul Curtis and Brosnan, but it was Westmeath who led 0-6 to 0-4 at the interval.

After Heslin and Brosnan had exchanged points on the resumption, it was a Heslin-inspired Westmeath who went on to lead 0-13 to 0-8 entering the closing twelve minutes. But it was the Lake County who maintained control moving into the latter stages with a 0-16 to 0-10 lead, before Tiernan Rossiter pulled a goal back three minutes into additional time.

SCORERS – Wexford: B Brosnan 0-4 (3f), T Rossiter 1-0, P Curtis 0-3, J Stafford 0-2, B Malone 0-1. Westmeath: J Heslin 0-6 (0-2 f, 0-1 ‘45), L Loughlin 0-3, C McCormack 0-2, K Martin, R O’Toole, G Egan, F Coyne, T McDaniel, 0-1 each. WEXFORD: M Doyle 6; M O’Neill 7, J Rossiter 7, C Carty 7; G Malone 6, B Malone 7, E Nolan 5; D Waters 8, N Doyle 7; T Rossiter 7, B Brosnan 7, R Frayne 6; P Curtis 7, J Stafford 7, B O’Connor 6. Subs: B O’Gorman 6 for Nolan (inj. 17), C McCabe 6 for O’Connor (49), D Shanley 6 for Frayne (54), S Doyle 6 for O’Gorman (58), M O’Connor for O’Neill (69), S Byrne for Waters (70). WESTMEATH: E Carberry 7; M McCallon 7, K Daly 6, D Whelan 7; N Mulligan 7, F Boyle 6, J Dolan 7;T McDaniel 6, J Heslin 9; K Martin 7, R O’Toole 7, G Egan 7; C McCormack 7, L Loughlin 8, S Duncan 6. Subs: F Coyne 7 for McDaniel (44), N Scally 7 for Whelan (inj. 48), A Gardiner 6 for Martin (64).

REF: B Cawley (Kildare).