Heslin inspires Westmeath

LEINSTER UNDER-21 FC QUARTER-FINALS: Westmeath 0-11 Carlow 0-3:WESTMEATH experienced only token opposition from disappointing Carlow in this undistinguished provincial quarter-final at the IT Carlow grounds last night.

The visitors were superior in all aspects of play against opponents who failed to score in the second half. Carlow defended well during the opening half and held Westmeath to 0-5 to 0-3 at the interval.

Westmeath brought recently returned AFL player John Heslin from full forward to midfield before half-time and the talented St Loman’s, Mullingar man made his mark with three second-half points, one a superb long-range effort from play.

The Westmeath defence was completely on top in a one-sided second half with corner-back Kieran Sheridan, full-back David Gavin, centre-back Ben Moran and wing-back Kevin Maguire dominant. The visitors also had sharp-scoring forwards in left-full forward Callum McCormack, who finished with 0-3 from play while centre-forward Kelvin Reilly scored two late points.

WESTMEATH:E Carbery; K Sheridan, D Gavin, S Gilmore; D Malynn, B Moran, K Maguire; T English (0-1), S Flanagan; G Egan (0-1), K Reilly (0-2, one free), J Gonoud; S Daly (0-1), J Heslin (0-3, two frees), C McCormack (0-3).

Subs:A Coffey for Flanagan (ht), J Rock for Malynn (50), P Fennell for Daly (55), C Boyle for Gonoud (58), A Stone for McCormack (60).

CARLOW:D Murphy; S Murphy, C Lawlor, J Kenny; J Byrne, B Lambe, M Doyle; D Foley, L Sheppard; A Kenny (0-1), C Moran (0-2), M Fitzgerald; C Wall, J Kennedy, D O'Brien.

Subs: J Sutton for Lawlor (injured) (21), D Roberts for O'Brien (38), M Mullen for Fitzgerald (38), E Fitzgerald for Wall (44).

Referee: F Barry (Kildare).