Under pressure to hold onto the football manager's job at the end of 2007, Tomas O Flatharta turned to the 'blanket defence' system to get Westmeath back on track last year. And while this system has no shortage of critics, it certainly got results for a resurgent Lake County side who upset the odds to win out a highly-competitive NFL Division 2 and come within a whisker of beating superpowers Dublin and Tyrone in the championship. Sifting through the debris of his side's abysmal 2007 championship exit at the hands of Donegal, Westmeath manager Tomas O Flatharta came to the conclusion that a change of direction was needed if the Lake County was to regain the form that brought them a first-ever Leinster title five years ago. By the end of 2008, Westmeath lay only second to Dublin in Leinster football's pecking order, and were back in Division 1 of the National Football League. It was a spectacular turnaround for a team that looked to be on the slide since their 2004 glory year, and can be largely attributed to the 'blanket defence' system Westmeath deployed last year. This system, which was first adopted by the top Ulster sides and involves bringing as many players back into defence as possible and hitting the opposition on the counterattack, was carried out to perfection by the Westmeath players who were rewarded with some outstanding results with the pick of them being the National League Division 2 final victory over Dublin. During the successful league campaign, the Westmeath defence earned a reputation as the meanest in the country, conceding an average of less than 0-9 per game, and they were just as miserly in the championship where good wins over Longford and Offaly were recorded en route to a devastating Leinster semi-final loss to Dublin at Croke Park. Even now, there is no getting away from the fact that Westmeath left victory behind them and, in the process, blew a glorious chance of claiming a second provincial success in four years. More heartbreak was to follow in Omagh four weeks later when the double dismissal of Damien Healy and Doran Horan in what Tomas O Flatharta referred to as a "moment of madness" ended hopes of a famous victory over the 2003 and 2005 All-Ireland final. But while Westmeath will look back on 2008 with many regrets, overall it was a successful year which the management will be eager to build on. The emergence of young Kieran Gavin as one of the top full backs in the game, the outstanding form of fellow defenders John Keane and Michael Ennis, the brilliant performances of veterans Damien Healy and Martin Flanagan, and the scoring heroics of Denis Glennon and team captain Dessie Dolan were just some of the reasons why 2008 was such a progressive year for Westmeath football. It's easy to forget that at the beginning of 2008, Westmeath were looked upon as relegation candidates from a fiercely competitive Division 2. A 10-point defeat to Dublin in the O'Byrne Cup on a rain-soaked January's night didn't bode well, but when the teams' returned to Parnell Park three weeks later for the opening round of the National League, Dublin's winning margin was pared back to just two points, 1-7 to 1-5. Taking encouragement from that performance, Westmeath's improvement over the next few weeks continued apace. Settling into their new system of play, which saw half forward and former full back Donal O'Donoghue operate as an extra defender (the role was later filled by Doran Harte), the midlanders took their first big scalp of the year when they defeated Armagh by 1-11 to 1-6 at Cusack Park. The home side never looked back after Martin Flanagan's long-range effort deceived the Armagh goalkeeper and ended up in the net late in the first half. The Orchard County were given hope when Martin O'Rourke goaled from the penalty spot (this was the last time Gary Connaughton would be beaten in the league), but Westmeath finished strongly with late points from Flanagan and the returning Denis Glennon putting the issue beyond doubt. For many Westmeath supporters, the third round victory over Meath was the sweetest of any in 2008. For 35 years, Westmeath had failed to beat their illustrious neighbours in league or championship fare. But the ghosts of the past were exorcised on a blustery early March afternoon at Cusack Park as a more focused and committed home side powered to a 1-10 to 0-8 victory. Westmeath led by 0-5 to 0-2 at half-time, but they looked to have it all to do in the second half after playing with the wind and having Fergal Wilson sent off. But with Denis Glennon making a big impact at full forward following his first half introduction and Martin Flanagan and David Duffy lording the midfield exchanges, the 14-men rallied after the resumption and were 1-10 to 0-6 up and out of sight when Damien Healy scored the only goal 18 minutes from the end. Westmeath made the long journey to Pairc Ui Rinn a fortnight later hoping to consolidate their place in the division, which many had felt would prove beyond them at the start of the campaign. Cork dominated the opening half and led by 0-10 to 0-4 when Martin Flanagan received his marching orders early in the second half. But just as they had done against Meath, Westmeath made light of their numerical disadvantage and had battled back to within a single point (0-9 to 0-10) when a controversial umpiring decision denied Dessie Dolan the equalising point in injury-time. And as if to rub salt into the visitors' wounds, Cork went down the field and substitute Conor McCarthy fired over to seal a 0-11 to 0-9 win. Westmeath responded to that setback with their biggest win of the campaign - a 1-14 to 0-6 victory over Roscommon at Kiltoom. Denis Glennon and Dessie Dolan scored 1-10 between them in a game that precipitated John Maughan's departure as Roscommon manager. A 0-10 to 0-6 victory over Cavan in a forgettable encounter at Cusack Park left Westmeath on eight points and needing to beat Monaghan in a "winner takes all" final round clash at Clones. With home advantage, Monaghan were expected to at least secure the draw they needed to win promotion and a place in the final, but Westmeath had other ideas and a first half goal from Denis Glennon, coupled with a five-star display by substitute Martin Flanagan who was unable to start due to injury, inspired the visitors to a 1-10 to 0-11 victory. The Division 2 final at Navan on April 26 pitted Westmeath against Dublin for the third time in four months. The Metropolitans went into the decider missing eight players, who were suspended arising out of the Parnell Park brawl with Meath, but there was nothing to separate the sides for three-quarters of the game. However, the Lake County - who themselves were without the injured Dessie Dolan and David Duffy (the latter made a late cameo appearance) - finished strongly to run out 0-15 to 0-10 winners and capture their third Division 2 title in seven years. Westmeath had just two weeks to ready themselves for their Leinster championship opener against Longford at Pearse Park. Revenge was utmost on the visitors' minds after their dramatic second half collapse against the same opposition 12 months previously, and they looked to be in a strong position after goals from Alan Mangan (penalty) and Denis Glennon helped them to a 2-4 to 0-5 interval lead. It looked all over bar the shouting when Westmeath surged eight points clear midway through the second half, but a quick 1-2 from Longford made for a nervous finish and the visitors were left hanging on for a 2-10 to 1-10 victory. Another midland derby awaited Westmeath in the form of Offaly on May 24. The new-look O'Connor Park was packed to capacity as the Lake County came good in the second half to record a rare championship win over their southern neighbours in Tullamore. A poor quality first half ended with Westmeath leading by a solitary point. But they came out with all guns blazing for the second half and two goals from Fergal Wilson and Dessie Dolan - scored either side of a Niall McNamee penalty follow-up - put the visitors on their way to a 2-10 to 1-7 win. That set the scene for a semi-final showdown with a Dublin team restored to full strength in front of over 67,000 spectators at Croke Park. Boosted by an early goal from Michael Ennis - Westmeath's first against the Dubs in the championship in over 40 years - Tomas O Flatharta's underdogs led for much of the first half but the accurate free-taking of Mossy Quinn saw Dublin regain parity at half-time, 1-5 to 0-8. In what was turning out to be a titanic battle where scores were at a premium, Dublin clung onto a one-point lead for much of the second half before late efforts from Jason Sherlock and Barry Cahill pushed them three clear. Denis Glennon pulled back a point in the dying moments, but Dublin held out for a 0-13 to 1-8 victory as Westmeath were left to rue their second half wides tally of eight. A favourable draw against Tipperary in the All-Ireland qualifiers was just the tonic Westmeath needed to get over their Croke Park heartbreak. Without playing particularly well, the Division 2 champions chalked up a 0-15 to 0-6 win in the picturesque setting of Ardfinnan. If that had been a favourable draw, Westmeath's second round pairing with Tyrone at Healy Park (their fifth away match of the championship) was anything but. Undaunted, however, Westmeath took the game to their vaunted opponents and a superbly-taken goal late in the first half from Michael Ennis gave them a two-point cushion at the break. Tyrone got back on level terms shortly after the resumption, but the visitors were giving as good as they got until disaster struck with the double sending off of Damien Healy and Doran Harte in the space of a minute. Despite their numerical advantage, though, the Red Hands struggled to close out the game and Dessie Dolan could have snatched an unlikely victory for the visitors five minutes from the end when he spurned a glorious goal chance. A mightily relieved Tyrone landed the last two points of what finished up as a disjointed contest to win by 0-14 to 1-7 and end Westmeath's championship interests for another year. Tweet

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