Armagh 2-19 Westmeath 0-8

ARMAGH DISHED up their own version of the St Valentines’s massacre when they annihilated Westmeath in an embarrassingly one-sided game at Crossmaglen.

Armagh’s sharpness, physicality and deadly finishing ensured that the last rites were administered to the visitors’ challenge long before the end. Veteran forward Steven McDonnell was the home team’s executioner-in-chief, racking up an impressive 1-9 from play as the home team dominated.

By half-time they had all but assured themselves of their opening brace of league points when they led by 1-9 to 0-5, McDonnell by than having complemented his opportunist seventh minute goal with four points.

Westmeath manager Brendan Hackett rejigged his side at the interval, but it made no difference.

By the end of the third quarter Armagh led by 2-12 to 0-6 after wing back Finian Moriarty underlined their dominance with a spectacular 52nd minute goal.

Westmeath were restricted to just three points in the entire half.

ARMAGH: P McEvoy; A Mallon, B Donaghy, P Duffy; A Kernan (0-2, one free), C McKeever, F Moriarty (1-0); B Shannon, K Toner; J Feeney (0-1), C Vernon (0-1), G Swift (0-2); R Henderson (0-1), S McDonnell (1-9), T Kernan (0-2, both frees). Subs: M McNamee for Henderson (52 mins), P Kernan for Moriarty (55), C Watters (0-1) for A Kernan (57), J O’Neill for Feeney (61), K Dyas for Duffy (62).

WESTMEATH: G Connaughton; K Gavin, M Ennis, J Gaffey; G Egan, D O’Donoghue, D Harte; D Duffy (0-1), S Bracken; T Warburton, P Greville (0-3, two frees), J Smyth; D Healy, D Glennon (0-4, three frees), C Lynam. Subs: G Hoey for Smyth (14 mins), J Durkan for Healy, F Boyle for O’Donoghue, R Doolin for Warburton (all half-time), D Healy for Gavin (51).

Referee: M Higgins (Fermanagh).