Westmeath have it easy

Westmeath maintained their 100 per cent record when they easily accounted for Wicklow at Cusack Park, Mullingar yesterday.

Forced to play virtually the entire second half with just 14 men, the visitors found the handicap too much as they fought to bridge an eight-point interval deficit.

The second half was just two minutes old when Wicklow wing back Colm Toomey was sent off by referee Ger Lynch and Westmeath sealed the game when bustling full forward Michael Ennis latched onto a Paul Conway pass to find the net in the 62nd minute.

Westmeath: A Lennon; D Brady, D Murphy, F Murray (0-1); D Healy, A Canning, J Keane; R O'Connell (0-1), D Hughes; F Wilson (0-4), P Conway (0-1), D Gavin; C Keane (0-1), M Ennis (1-1), G Heavin (0-5). Subs: A Lyons (0-2) for Canning (34 mins); M Staunton for Keane (half-time); B Morley (1-0) for Gavin (41 mins); T Clery for Wilson (53 mins); D Heavin for D Hughes (63 mins).

Wicklow: R Hollingsworth; M Coffey, T Burke, B O hAnnaidh; G Jameson, B O'Donovan, C Toomey; D Coffey, S O'Neill; K Byrne (0-1), R Coffey (0-2), G Doran; T Gill (0-6), P Callaghan, T Harney. Subs: D Jackman for G Doran (half-time); O O hAnnaidh for S O'Neill (46 mins); B Sheehan for P Callaghan (50 mins); K Foley for M Coffey (57 mins); S Cush for B O'Donovan (67 mins)

Referee: G Lynch (Fermanagh).