Westmeath, who beat Carlow in their opening game, began brightly and led by 0-5 to 0-2 after ten minutes. However, Dublin scored 1-7 without reply with Aidan Mellett firing in a 15th-minute goal and Donal Burke and Oisin O’Rourke scoring some fine points.

At half-time Mattie Kenny’s side led by 1-15 to 0-6.

Westmeath improved after the break with the outstanding Eoin Price notching seven points in total, but Shane O’Brien’s side were dealt a blow when Joey Boyle was dismissed on 52 minutes.

Some fine points from Lorcan McMullan saw Dublin run out convincing winners.

Scorers for Dublin: D Burke (0-8, 3 frees); O O’Rourke (0-5, 4 frees); A Mellett (1-1); L McMullan (0-3); M Schutte, D Keogh (0-2 each); A O’Neill (0-1).

Scorers for Westmeath: Eoin Price (0-7); D McNicholas (0-4, 2 frees); D Clinton (0-3 frees); N Mitchell (0-2); L Varley (0-1).

DUBLIN: J Tracey; J Madden, P Smyth, J Malone; P Crummey, D Gray, T Connolly; D Keogh, L McMullan; A Mellett, R Hayes, O O’Rourke; F Whitely, M Schutte, D Burke.

Subs used: A O’Neill for O O’Rourke (29 mins), S Brennan for J Tracey (half time), L Corcoran for P Crummey (58 mins), E O’Donnell for D Keogh (60 mins), P Crummey for A Mellett (65 mins).

WESTMEATH: A McHugh; A Cox, T Doyle, A Ennis; S Clavin, A Craig, G Greville; L Varley, E Price; J Boyle, D O’Reilly, R Greville; J Galvin, D Clinton, N Mitchell.

Subs used: A Clarke for S Clavin (25 mins), D McNicholas for D O’Reilly (half time), J Bermingham for A Craig (half time), J Gilligan for J Galvin (42 mins), S McGovern for D Clinton (52 mins), C Doyle for R Greville (injured, 58 mins), B Doyle for L Varley (59 mins).

Referee: Gavin Quility (Kilkenny).

Quickfire goals put Laois in charge

[team1]Laois[/team1][score1]3-19[/score1][team2]Carlow[/team2][score2]0-22[/score2][/score]

Two first-half Laois goals from Ronan Murray and Aaron Bergin in the space of 30 seconds put Eddie Brennan's side in control of this Walsh Cup tie at Netwatch Cullen Park, as Carlow went down to their second defeat in the competition, having lost away to Westmeath.

Laois led 2-9 to 0-11 at half-time and Carlow were unable to make any inroads into the lead in the second half. In all 10 players shared in the O'Moore County total, including the six starting forwards.

Chris Nolan hit 0-12 for Carlow, 0-10 from frees and 0-2 from 65s.

Scorers for Laois: E Gaughan (0-6 frees); R Murray, A Bergin (1-2 each); A Dunphy (0-3); R King (1-0); C Comerford (0-2); W Dunphy, J Ryan, C McEvoy, J Kelly (0-1 each).

Scorers for Carlow: C Nolan (0-12, 0-10 frees, 2 65s); T Joyce, J M Nolan (0-3 each); E Byrne, C Tracey, K McDonald, P Coady (0-1 each).

LAOIS: E Rowland; L Senior, M Whelan, D Hartnett; R Murray, P Delaney, C McEvoy; C Comerford, E Killeen; A Dunphy, E Gaughan, J Ryan; R King, W Dunphy, A Bergin.

Subs: J Kelly for A Dunphy (injured) (31); F Flanagan for Whelan (46); J Phelan for W Dunphy (52); C Rigney for King (52); A Connolly for Hartnett (59)

CARLOW: T Dowling; R Smithers, D Tobin, M Doyle; R Coady, D English, D Byrne; K McDonald, E Byrne; J M Nolan, T Joyce, J Murphy; C Tracey, J Nolan, C Nolan.

Subs: C Kavanagh for Murphy (27); A Corcoran for Tobin (h/t); P Coady for Kavanagh (47); K Guidera for Tracey (69).

Referee: T Gleeson (Dublin)