Meath 3-14 Westmeath 1-7:MEATH QUALIFIED for this year's Leinster minor final by defeating neighbours Westmeath by a flattering 13-point margin in Mullingar on Saturday evening.

The Royals got off to a great start when Barry Dardis found the net in the second minute. However, a well-taken goal in the 14th minute from Westmeath’s Luke Loughlin helped them back level.

Meath dominated the remainder of the half and a cool finish by Fiachra Ward in the 20th minute put them into a deserved interval lead of 2-8 to 1-4.

They increased their lead to nine points within five minutes of the restart, but Westmeath came more into the game; Ger Leech kicking three great points.

Westmeath spurned a great goalscoring opportunity in the 48th minute when Leech’s penalty was saved by Jack Hannigan.

An off-the-ball incident in the 57th minute led to the sending off of two substitutes, Conor O’Brien (Meath) and Ray Connellan (Westmeath), both via straight reds, and Westmeath’s Bryan O’Donohoe, who picked up a second yellow. Meath sealed their final spot with a fine last-minute goal from Dardis.

MEATH: J Hannigan; J O’Malley, B Power, S Gallagher; D Smyth, C Carton, R Ó Coileán; P Harnan (0-1), A Flanagan (0-1); C O’Sullivan (0-3), J Daly, J McEntee (0-2); B Dardis (2-2), S Coogan, F Ward (1-5, 0-5 frees). Subs: C Gillespie for Carton (42 mins), C O’Brien for Coogan (49 mins), N Kane for O’Malley (60 mins), C Ó Gríofa for Dardis (60 mins), A Garry for O’Sullivan (60 mins).

WESTMEATH: B Doyle; R Gorman, L Corless, B O’Donohoe; R Caffrey, K Daly, E O’Reilly; A Curley, D Gaye; T Watts, G Leech (0-4, 0-2 frees), A McGivney (0-1); L Loughlin (1-2), L Dolan, D McDermott. Subs: PJ Maguire for Gaye (inj, 11 mins), R Connellan for McGivney (27 mins), J Barrett for Curley (half-time), S Dempsey for McDermott (42 mins), TJ Fox for Watts (60 mins).

Referee: S Johnson (Louth).