Longford, Offaly and Westmeath delivered victories, with Carlow also beginning brightly this afternoon.

Not for the first time in Clare jerseys, David Tubridy and Gary Brennan rose to the occasion with huge displays to propel their team to victory in Mullingar and to within touching distance of the Super 8s.

Goals from James Dolan and Joe Halligan did the trick in Mullingar as Westmeath battled through to Round 3 of the All-Ireland SFC qualifiers.

Meath are eyeing up their first piece of silverware under Andy McEntee after cruising comfortably through to the last four of the Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup.

Westmeath’s Kieran Martin believes they are in a better position to seriously challenge Dublin this year and has indicated they won’t rely on a blanket defence strategy.

Back-to-back All-Ireland champions Dublin will face old foes Westmeath next weekend after Tom Cribbin's side edged out Offaly at the second attempt in the Leinster quarter-finals.

Dublin 2-19 Westmeath 0-10: Same as it ever was, then. An 11th Leinster title in 12 seasons for Dublin, another lopsided scoreline and a renewed bout of hand-wringing as to what the rest of the province – and everyone else – can possibly do to reduce a gap that shows no sign of closing anytime soon.

Westmeath 1-12 Kildare 1-11: Shot down in spring, but singing in summer. Such is the way of Westmeath under Tom Cribbin these last couple of seasons.

Longford 0-13 Westmeath 0-11: Longford consolidated their position in Division 3 and relegated their neighbours in the process; Westmeath’s third consecutive demotion.

Westmeath 1-9 Offaly 0-9: Westmeath maintained their Division 3 status for another week at least with this hard-earned three-point victory over Offaly in Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Westmeath 3-14 Limerick 0-7: Tom Cribbin wore the look of a man who just had his shoulders relieved of the heavy load which had sat there since the final Sunday in January. That was the afternoon Westmeath’s promotion plans were refused take off at Cusack Park with Kildare bagging maximum points behind enemy lines.

After a difficult day at the coalface of Championship football, Louth manager Colin Kelly managed to mine several nuggets of positivity.

Westmeath 0-10, Down 2-17:

Allianz FL Division 1 Round 2: Westmeath 2-12 Galway 2-13: It’s an awful pity that Paddy Sweeney didn’t live to see this day. A stalwart of the Killannin club which also produced Kevin Walsh, Sweeney also served as an officer of Galway football board but was killed in a work accident over a year ago.

Cavan 1-15 Westmeath 1-14

Niall McDermott's second-half goal proved the boost Cavan needed as they finally inflicted a 12th competitive defeat in a row on Westmeath.

Louth 1-14 Westmeath 1-9

Westmeath 0-13 Kerry 2-15

WESTMEATH 0-13 KERRY 2-15

Fermanagh 3-10 Westmeath 1-15

Fermanagh 3-10 Westmeath 1-15

Westmeath manager Pat Flanagan has selected an unchanged team for Saturday's Leinster SFC quarter-final clash with defending champions Dublin at Croke Park (throw-in 7pm).

Dessie Dolan, who won an All-Star award when Westmeath were last crowned Leinster champions in 2004, will start for the Lakesiders against Carlow in Sunday's provincial Championship opener.

There are only five survivors in the Westmeath team to play Derry in Allianz Football League Division 2 this weekend.

Westmeath 0-17 Armagh 0-16, Mullingar

Wexford 0-16 Westmeath 4-12, Wexford Park

Westmeath 1-10 Laois 1-8

David Duffy and John Gaffey has been named in the Westmeath team to play Laois in Sunday's Allianz League Division 2 tie at Cusack Park (throw-in 2.30pm).

Galway 0-13 Westmeath 1-10

Galway 0-13 Westmeath 1-10

Galway manager Alan Mulholland has made a series of changes to his team for Sunday's Allianz Football League encounter with Westmeath at Tuam Stadium (throw-in 2pm).

Longford 1-8 Westmeath 2-7

Westmeath 2-7 Longford 1-8

Westmeath 0-16 Louth 2-09

Westmeath 0-16 Louth 2-9

Westmeath 1-22 Athlone IT 0-13

Pat Flanagan slammed Martin Higgins’ performance in Mullingar yesterday and claimed some of his decisions cost Westmeath a famous “four or five point” win over Kerry.

Westmeath 1-12 Kerry 2-10

Callum McCormack has played his way into the Westmeath team to face Kerry in Sunday's All-Ireland SFC second round qualifier in Mullingar (throw-in 3pm).

Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick missed this one because he was in hospital with a kidney stone problem and it has to be hoped his supply of painkillers for that excruciating issue is sufficiently topped-up before he chances viewing the DVD of this turgid encounter.

Westmeath 1-15 Louth 0-12

Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick knew that substitute Danny O'Connor, the scorer of their match-winning goal against Westmeath, had it in him to make a difference in yesterday's Leinster SFC opener.

Westmeath turned in an inspirational second-half performance to maintain their Division 2 status at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.