Offaly manager Pat Flanagan admits that it will take a huge performance from his charges to defeat Westmeath in Sunday's Leinster SFC quarterfinal.

The former Westmeath manager knows many of the Lake County players very well and he admitted to the Midland Tribune that they have some outstanding players in their ranks.

Westmeath have reached the last two Leinster finals where they were beaten by Dublin in both, but Flanagan explained that the experience they have picked up in the last two years have been invaluable.

And Flanagan added that he doesn't think hosting the game in Bord na Mona O'Connor Park will be much of an advantage to the home side.

"Home advantage can be very relevant but these championship matches take on a life of their own," said Flanagan. "This Westmeath team is very experienced, they have played in the last two Leinster finals and beat Kildare last year after beating us.

"I don't know whether home advantage makes that much of a difference. They are a very good team, they have some excellent players right across the board. It is a huge challenge for us, you have the experience of a team in two Leinster finals compared to one who got to their first win in the Leinster championship in ten years last year. You would imagine there is a gulf there but it is up to us to try and close that gap."

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