Westmeath 3-14

Louth 0-16

WESTMEATH HIT THREE second-half goals to book their place in the Leinster SFC quarter-finals.

Callum McCormack, Shane Dempsey and Ray Connellan all raised green flags as the Lake County proved too strong for Louth in Drogheda.

John Heslin was in menacing form, kicking nine points as Westmeath set up a clash against Wexford in the last eight.

Ray Connellan tries to wrestle possession away from Bevan Duffy. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

There was little to choose between the sides in the opening 35 and late scores from Ryan Burns and Declan Byrne left Louth just one point adrift at the break, 0-7 to 0-6.

McCormack and Dempsey struck a decisive blow with two goals inside six minutes of the restart.

And when Connellan hit a third to put Westmeath ahead by 3-11 to 0-13, it all but condemned Louth to a place in the qualifiers.

Westmeath

1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)

2. John Gilligan (Ballymore)
3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
4. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)

5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)

8. Darragh Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
9. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass)

23. John Egan (Athlone)
11. Ray Connellan (Athlone)
12. John Stapleton (Athlone)

13. Callum McCormack (Maryland)
14. John Heslin (St Loman’s)
15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s)

Louth

1. Neil Gallagher (Cooley Kickhams)

2. Anthony Williams (Dreadnots)
3. Patrick Reilly (Brides)
4. Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)

5. Declan Byrne (St Mochtás)
6. Darren O’Hanlon (St Pats)
7. Adrian Reid (Mattock Rangers)

8. Bevan Duffy (Fechins)
9. Tommy Durnin (Westerns)

10. Derek Maguire (Dundalks Young Irelands)
11. Colm Judge (Newtown Blues)
12. James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)

13. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)
14. Conor Grimes (Sean O’Mahonys)
15. Paraic Smith (Dreadnots)

Donegal and Tyrone have already given us the first schemozzle of the summer

Galway win again as they look to halt Mayo’s five in-a-row bid next time out