Leinster SF / The Downs 0-08 St Pats 3-08: Louth champions St Patrick's will have happy memories of their first ever Leinster championship game, as they carved out victory over their Westmeath counterparts, The Downs, at Cusack Park, Mullingar, yesterday.

Damian Connor was one of the St Pat's heroes, firing home goals in the 54th and 61st minutes as the visitors finished with a flourish.

In between, substitute Seán White chipped in with a third goal and the home side were well and truly beaten.

ST PATRICK'S: S Connor; D White, C Goss, D Finnegan; O Zamboglou, P Mallon, Johnny Holland; Jim Holland (0-1), P Keenan (0-5); E Carroll, P Devane, R Finnegan; D Connor (2-1), S Hynes (0-1), D Murphy. Sub: S White (1-0) for Hynes.

THE DOWNS: C McCormack; D O'Reilly, S O'Leary, S Cleary; C Carley, D Devine, S Loughlin; B Conroy (0-1), B Murtagh; S Deering, J Smyth, P Shanley; T Cleary (0-4), J Conroy (0-3), K Shanley. Subs: J Corroon for Deering; B Murray for P Shanley; M Murtagh for K Shanley; D Ayres for Corroon; B Wright for T Cleary.

Referee: S McCormack (Meath).