Westmeath hold on as Premier rue missed chance

Tipperary 1-8 Westmeath 0-12

Tipperary star Declan Browne missed a late chance to secure a draw in Thurles as Westmeath stole in for a 0-12 to 1-8 qualifier win over the Premier boys.

Paidi Ó Sé's side quickly raced into a three point lead, with attacker-in-chief Dessie Dolan pointing on the double. Westmeath then held onto that lead for the interval, despite Tipp points from Browne, Benny Hickey and Kevin Mulryne closing the gap to 0-5 to 0-4 in the visitors' favour.

Browne's penalty goal almost immediately after the restart looked to be Tipp's championship lifeline, but their defensive frailties, so exposed by Kerry in the Munster meeting, came top pass as points from Fergal Wilson, Derek Heavin and Dolan saw Ó Sé's lot towards home, at 0-10 to 1-4 in front.

Hickey set up Niall Fitzgerald to cut the Westmeath lead to a single point as the game ticked by the hour-mark but Browne, so often Tipp's saviour in the past, saw his acutely-angled free chance sail wide in injury-time.