Westmath 1-16

Longford 1-10

Westmeath booked a Leinster U20FC quarter-final place after leading from pillar to post against Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

The Lake County finish as Group 1 runners-up to Dublin after this win, while Longford are eliminated after suffering their third defeat on the bounce.

Points from Adam Loughlin-Stones, James Maxwell (two), Nigel Harte and Sean Pettit eased Damien Gavin's charges into a 0-5 to 0-2 lead after 11 minutes. A Pettit free in the 27th minute extended their lead to 0-9 to 0-4, but the hosts grabbed the last two scores of the half - the last a fisted effort from Mark McCormack - to trail by 0-6 to 0-9 at the interval.

Westmeath resumed with unanswered points from Tom Molloy, Daniel Reid and Pettit ('45) before Longford replied with three of their own from Thomas McGann, Rory Harkin and Shane Farrell to trail by 0-8 to 0-12.

But the visitors then put the result beyond doubt when points from Molloy, Pettit (free) and Harte were followed by a goal from Shandonagh clubman Molloy. Harkin raised a green flag for Longford in injury-time, but it was a case of too little, too late.

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