Three second-half goals helped rampant Westmeath to a resounding 3-14 to 0-16 victory over lacklustre Louth at Drogheda.

Callum McCormack, Shane Dempsey and Ray Connellan bagged the all-important scores as the winners booked a quarter-final date with Wexford in Mullingar on June 14th, while Louth are heading for the Qualifiers once more as their poor year goes from bad to worse.

Having played into the breeze, Westmeath led by the odd point from 13 at the end of a scrappy but entertaining first half. The visitors dominated for long periods during that opening period but Colin Kelly's men started and finished the half strongly to remain in touch.

The influentia Connellan edged the Lake men ahead with an excellent first-minute point off the outside of the boot, while the hosts' first attack into the hospital end culminated in a Ryan Burns wide from a free. John Egan had replaced Paul Sharry in the Westmeath starting XV, while the Wee County started as selected during the week.

Young Irelands' clubman Derek Maguire levelled the scores in the fourth minute and Colm Judge followed up with a trademark score seconds later. A converted Burns free off the ground from in front of the posts doubled the difference on nine minutes.

Dempsey and John Heslin points had the sides level with a quarter of an hour played and Connellan's second point of the day restored the midlanders' advantage -  a lead they would never relinquish. Tom Cribbin's charges led by 0-5 to 0-3 when Heslin stroked a free between the posts in the 19th minute.

It was double scores when Heslin lofted over a long, high free from in front of the posts - his side's fifth successive point - as the rain spilled down at the O'Raghallaighs with nine minutes left before the break. Westerns clubman Tommy Durnin stemmed the tide with a sweet strike off his left peg - Louth's first score in 19 minutes of play!

A simple Heslin free from the hands made it 0-7 to 0-4 two minutes from the interval but Burns clipped over a morale-boosting Louth free at the end of first-half normal time and Declan Byrne thumped over another point on the stroke of the short whistle to leave the minimum between the sides as they trudged off the field at the break.

The Lake County took control of proceedings after the restart as goal from McCormack and Dempsey in the 37th and 41st minutes respectively propelled them into a 2-8 to 0-7 lead. But the Red Hands hit six of the next eight points - with Conor Grimes, Burns (2), Byrne and substitute Eoin O'Connor all on target - to move back within three with 15 minutes left.

Heslin steadied the midlanders with a point and a Connellan goal effectively put the match to bed before Grimes pulled back another score for the Wee County, who now trailed by six with ten minutes left to play, 3-11 to 0-14.

Dempsey and Durnin traded scores before Heslin won and converted a Westmeath free. McCormack increased the gap to eight with three minutes left and Burns registered what will be Louth's last score for at least six weeks.

Westmeath - D Quinn; J Gilligan, K Maguire, K Daly; P Holloway, K Martin, J Dolan; D Daly, G Egan; J Egan, R Connellan (1-2), J Stapleton; C McCormack (1-1), J Heslin (0-9, 6f), S Dempsey (1-2). Subs: R Foley for J Stapleton, L Smith for D Daly, F Boyle for P Holloway.

Louth - N Gallagher; A Williams, P Reilly, P Rath; D Byrne (0-2), D O'Hanlon, A Reid; B Duffy, T Durnin (0-2); D Maguire (0-1), C Judge (0-1), J Stewart; R Burns (0-6, 4f), C Grimes (0-2), P Smith. Subs: E O'Connor (0-2) for P Smith, D Finnegan for B Duffy, R Moore for D Maguire, D Crilly for J Stewart.

Referee - B Cassidy.

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