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.

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.

The opposition and the defensive challenge was a novel one for Dublin but the end result was familiar as the All-Ireland favourites strode to a fifth consecutive Leinster football title success at Croke Park.

Raharney 1-8 Kilcormac-Killoughey 1-13

Westmeath 4-12 Galway 5-19

Westmeath staged a passionate and purposeful comeback to win Saturday’s lively Leinster SHC clash at Mullingar.

Westmeath 0-14 Antrim 0-12

A flood of scores in the second half helped Westmeath to a flattering 18-point win over a limited Wicklow side in last Saturday’s Hurling League Division 2 tie at Mullingar.

Half-time substitutes Ross Smithers and Mark Brennan made a massive impact on this vital NHL Division 2A tie at Dr Cullen Park yesterday, scoring a combined 2-4 from play as Carlow maintained their 100% league record.

Star performer John Power produced four points during the closing five minutes, and boosted by another from Ger Aylward, 14-man Kilkenny cobbled together a battling victory over Westmeath yesterday.

ARMAGH and Westmeath made little of the strong wind at Donoghmore Ashbourne to provide patrons with an entertaining All-Ireland junior A camogie final.

Armagh 1-7 Westmeath 1-7

LIMERICK have named just two of the starting team that lost to Cork last year for Sunday’s Munster semi-final against Waterford.

A FLATTERING scoreline for Galway in this Leinster SHC quarter-final in Mullingar on Saturday.

THREE gift goals proved the undoing of Carlow hurlers in this sub-standard preliminary Leinster SHC tie at Dr Cullen Park yesterday as a focused Westmeath side deservedly advanced to a home meeting with Galway.

TODAY

CIARAN SHEEHAN has been named in the Cork team for Sunday’s Allianz Division 1 final against Dublin.

WESTMEATH boss Pat Flanagan heaped praise on his team after they secured promotion to Allianz Football League Division Two with victory at Cusack Park, Mullingar yesterday.

DUBLIN football defender Kevin Nolan says he and his team-mates train as hard as Premier League footballers.

WESTMEATH held on for a vital win over 14-man Waterford in this lively, but poor quality, game at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

CORK County Board have called for fair play after All-Ireland-winning captain Graham Canty was snubbed for a trip to America on St Patrick’s Day.

WESTMEATH finally claimed an Allianz NFL victory, at the 17th time of asking, with a three-point win over Tipperary at Semple Stadium yesterday.

THE FIRST job Donal O’Grady had to complete when appointed Limerick hurling manager was to dim the public’s horizon and minimise the expectation within the squad, and anyone who attended Saturday’s Allianz National league Division Two encounter with Westmeath won’t need much more convincing that O’Grady’s ‘Limerick project’ is very much in its foetal stages.

WESTMEATH and Cavan shared the spoils in this very poor NFL Division 3 game at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

Limerick 1-20 Westmeath 0-15

SHANE LENNON will have good reason to remember the first National League match played at the Geraldines grounds at Haggardstown, near Dundalk, on Saturday night.

LAOIS easily defeated a very poor and lethargic Westmeath side in this Hurling League Division 2 opening round game at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

Carlow 2-13 Westmeath 0-16

THE All-Ireland SFC qualifier between Kildare and Antrim will go ahead as scheduled tomorrow night in Newbridge, and Dermot Earley jnr will be available to line out for the Lilywhites.

Dessie Dolan has been handed a starting role by Westmeath manager Pat Flanagan for their Leinster SFC semi-final clash against Louth on Sunday at Croke Park (throw-in 5.50pm).

Dessie Dolan is poised to make his long-awaited return for Westmeath in their Leinster SFC quarter-final against Wicklow at Tullamore on Sunday (throw-in 3.30pm).

Ireland 1-11 Scotland 1-8

Mayo 2-20 Westmeath 0-15

Carlow 3-22 Westmeath 4-16 (after extra-time)

LIKE the gale force wind at O’Moore Park, Dublin huffed and puffed for three quarters of this Leinster championship opener before finally blowing Westmeath away.

Dublin 3-21 Westmeath 0-11

Leo Smith will lead the Westmeath attack against Dublin in Sunday's Leinster SHC quarter-final clash at Portlaoise (throw-in 3.50pm).

Westmeath have received a massive boost ahead of Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Dublin at Croke Park with the return of David O’Shaughnessy to their starting line-up (throw-in 4pm).

WESTMEATH 2-09 LAOIS 2-15

Westmeath 1-14 Waterford 3-22

Westmeath 1-09 Kilkenny 1-23

Westmeath manager Seamus Qualter has included three championship debutants for Sunday's Leinster SHC quarter-final against Dublin (O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, throw-in 2.10pm).