Championship round-up: Two Brian Kavanagh goals just after the break turned this afternoon's football championship curtain-raiser on it's head as Longford advanced to the next round in Leinster with a 2-13 to 1-13 win over Westmeath.
Westmeath, playing with a strong breeze at their backs, appeared to be coasting in the opening half as Denis Glennon and Dessie Dolan, afforded the freedom of Pearse Park by a Longford defence conspicuous by its absence, were instrumental in building a 1-10 to 0-5 lead.
But Westmeath were unable to cope with playing into the win as Longford adopted a long-ball approach that paid dividends within minutes of the restart. First Kavanagh was on hand to profit from a spilled ball by Westmeath goalkeeper Gary Connaughton but the second was a much classier affair, the Slashers clubman drilling home following a fine team move.
Buoyed by those scores, Longford went on the offensive and used the wind to trouble the Westmeath defence with searching punts forward. Kavanagh remained a central figure, finishing with a personal tally of 2-5.
Westmeath, on the other hand, were unable to get their short-game working and, with the Longford defence cranking into action, could only manage three scores in the entire half. Longford will now meet Laois in the next round.
At Breffni Park, Cavan and Down will replay next weekend after drawing 2-11 to 3-8 but the performance of both sides will hardly have sent shockwaves through Ulster football.
Down looked on course to record their first competitive win since the corresponding fixture last year, thanks in no small part to the influence of Benny Coulter, but a late burst from the home side earned Cavan a draw.
Coulter played a part in all three Down goals, scoring one himself and playing through Ronan Sexton for the other two, but elsewhere Down lacked imagination. Nevertheless, as the match went into injury time Down led by three points only for Mickey McVeigh to spill Jonathan Crowe's shot on goal for Cavan's equaliser.
Cavan then went ahead briefly through Dermot McCabe's free but Ronan Murtagh forced the replay with virtually the last kick of the game.
Elsewhere, the Antrim hurlers opened their campaign with a 4-16 to 3-8 win over London and will meet Derry, who beat Armagh 1-14 to 0-16, in the Ulster final.