'We didn't take our chances' - Westmeath manager

Westmeath minor football manager Eoghan Kevlihan admitted that missed goal chances cost his side dearly in last Saturday's defeat to Meath.

"The two opportunities in the first half really would have killed their spirit, but you just have to take your chances. Probably the biggest turning point was our missed goal opportunity (in the second half) which would have brought us level and they went straight up and scored their first goal; that was a six-point swing. We just didn't have that ruthlessness and the clinical finishing you need to beat teams like Meath," he said afterwards.

Westmeath made a slow start and struggled to utilise wind advantage in the opening half.

"It took us a while to settle into the game and it took us about 13 minutes to get our first score. When we reflect on the intensity that the lads brought to the Louth and Kildare matches, for some reason it just wasn't switched on today. We didn't get the start we hoped for but we still went in four points to two up at half-time. The game was in the mix but Meath brought a physicality that possibly was the difference," Kevlihan remarked.

Kevlihan admitted that his side's performance fell short of what they had produced in the games against Louth and Kildare.

"Our preparation was identical really from our point of view as the last two games. Maybe the occasion got to them and maybe not being used to playing in Cusack Park might have been a factor, I'm not too sure. These are the days you play for and it just didn't go our way. We didn't take our chances and that's the difference between winning and losing," he said.

The defeat to Meath ends Westmeath's involvement in the Leinster MFC and the All-Ireland championship at the top tier. But this Westmeath under-17 squad will now enter a third tier All-Ireland series and Kevlihan hopes the players will give this new competition their best shot.

"At the end of the day, this team is about developing young players for Westmeath. For all of them it was their first time playing for Westmeath in Cusack Park and twelve of the lads hadn't played here ever. It's a learning curve for them and hopefully they can learn from today and step into the under-20 squad in a couple of years' time," he said.

"There are great footballers in there (the dressing room) and a lot of lads chose to play for Westmeath this year rather than play soccer. So if we keep the setup and structures right within Westmeath football, I have no doubt that those lads can go on to represent Westmeath at senior level," he added.