FAVOURITES Westmeath survived an early and a late scare to advance from Wexford Park to the next round of the Leinster under-21 championship where they will face Kilkenny. The midlanders were reduced to 14 men with over 10 minutes to go and saved their best football for this period.

Full-forward David Glennon scored one goal and five points from the placed ball including a first-half penalty.

The Westmeath captain Francis Boyle was dismissed for his second deserved yellow card which should have opened the game up for Wexford who at that point were trailing by a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-4 but they could not capitalise as Westmeath held onto the ball when they had to and did not give possession away easily.

For their part the Slaneysiders made a great game of it actually won the midfield battle with Rory Quinlivan exceptional in the air. Westmeath's defensive unit worked well and often crowded the Wexford attack.

But they will have to improve dramatically if they are to harbour any ideas of progressing much further in this competition as if they overcome Kilkenny a tie with Laois, Louth or Wicklow awaits them.

WESTMEATH D Bryan; J Lynch, F Boyle (c), 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 (15, 1-0 pn, 0-5 frees), M Boyle (0-1) WEXFORD P Kavanagh; C Murphy, L Kent, M Mythe; C Lawlor, B Malone, A Doyle; R Quinlivan, I Murphy; S Roche, P Byrne, PJ Nolan; C Lyng (0-2), PJ Banville (0-5, 0-3 frees), P Hughes (1-0) Referee E Kinsella (Laois)