Killian Doyle scored 1-14 as Westmeath retained their Division 1 status and in the process relegated Carlow back to Division 2A for next season.

At the third time of asking, Tipperary recorded their first win of the Allianz Hurling League as they put Westmeath to the sword at Semple Stadium.

This was a canter for Galway as Shane O’Neill picked up a convincing victory in his first National League game as manager, although playing against Westmeath’s 14 men for all of the second half softened his side’s route to victory at Pearse Stadium.

A cakewalk for Cork in Mullingar as they eased themselves into an All-Ireland quarter-final against Kilkenny in Croke Park in seven days’ time.

Laois delivered a strong second-half display to deliver Joe McDonagh Cup silverware at Croke Park this afternoon.

He’ll be a strong contender to replace Brian Cody when the Kilkenny boss eventually quits, but Eddie Brennan’s management career almost stalled before it began.

Hurling’s best kept secret, the Joe McDonagh Cup, comes out of the shadows on Sunday with live TV coverage of the final at Croke Park between Laois and Westmeath.

Kerry boss Fintan O’Connor admitted that the soul searching that followed their defeat to Antrim proved the catalyst for Saturday’s sensational Joe McDonagh Cup win away to Westmeath.

The game seemed destined for extra-time until the closing stages.

A goal in the 51st minute from corner forward Killian Doyle proved to be the decisive score as Westmeath survived the handicap of playing the entire second half with just 14 men to eke out a crucial win against neighbours Meath in the third and final round robin series of the Leinster senior hurling championship, in ideal conditions at Mullingar yesterday afternoon.

Kerry 0-20 Westmeath 2-12: Kerry senior hurling manager Fintan O’Connor, confessed to being “relieved, more than anything” after his side pulled off a vital win against Westmeath in miserable weather in Mullingar yesterday afternoon.

UCC 1-18

Raharney 1-8 Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-13

Carlow finished in style to overcome their Westmeath hosts in Saturday’s entertaining Leinster Minor Hurling Championship game at Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Wexford gave their supporters plenty of nervous moments in this Leinster MHC tie, but despite striking seven wides in that period and trailing for most of the game, they overcame Offaly 3-8 to 2-13 in O’Connor Park.

Flying left winger Ben O’Callaghan crossed for a superbly taken hat-trick as CBC swept past Castletroy College in yesterday’s semi-final of the Avonmore Munster Schools Junior Cup at Dooradoyle.

ST JOSEPH’S, Rochfortbridge overcame a five-point interval deficit to blitz Cistercian College and secure the Leinster Colleges ‘B’ title in Tullamore yesterday.

O’LOUGHLIN GAELS from Kilkenny claimed their first Féile na nGael Division One title when they defeated Limerick’s Na Piarsaigh (3-7 to 0-4) at Pearse Stadium in Galway yesterday.