Hurling Qualifier/Laois 3-13 Westmeath 4-05: Westmeath, beaten league finalists and defeated by Dublin a week earlier in the championship, were eliminated from all competition on Saturday night.
Laois got off to a dream start with two early goals from David Cuddy and Damian Culleton. Westmeath were stunned but responded with two well-taken goals from Killian Cosgrove and Ronan Whelan. The sides were then level 2-1 each after 20 minutes but by half-time Laois led by two points, 2-4 to 2-2.
Laois sprung Damian Walsh at half-time and he sent over some magnificent points but it was a goal 15 minutes into the new half by Culleton that seemed to end the game as a contest. However, as they did in the opening half, Westmeath responded with a brace of goals from substitute Derek McNicholas and one from Andrew Mitchell narrowed the gap. But the home side held on and earned a place in next Saturday's qualifiers against Clare.
LAOIS: K Galvin; L Mahon, P Cuddy, A Delaney; J Fitzpatrick, L Tynan, M McEvoy (0-1); J Young (0-3), J Walsh; E Browne (0-1), P Mahon, C Cuddy; T Fitzgerald, D Cuddy (1-1), D Culleton (2-1). Subs: D Walsh (0-6) for P Mahon; R Conroy for A Delaney; E Jackman for T Fitzgerald; R Jones for J Walsh; C Coonan for E Browne.
WESTMEATH: M Briody; D Curley, P Murtagh, P Greville; O Devine, C Murtagh, D McCormack (0-1); S McDonnell, E Loughlin; K Cosgrove (1-0), V Bateman, A Mitchell (1-4); B Kennedy, J Shaw, R Whelan (1-0). Subs: D Gallagher for Greville; B Connaughton for Loughlin; J Forbes for B Kennedy; D McNicholas (1-0) for R Whelan.
Referee: Eamon Morris (Dublin).
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