Rathnew ... 0-8 Ballymahon ... 0-6: Leinster title-holders Rathnew failed to score in the second half but still advanced to the quarter-final when defeating the Longford champions at Casey Park.

The home side dominated the first quarter of the game but all they had to show for their efforts was three points fired over by Trevor Smullen, Padraig Connolly and Frankie Dolan (a free).

Rathnew opened their account in the 18th minute with a point from Tommy Gill and dominated the remainder of the half with further excellent points from Gill (2), Trevor Doyle (2), substitute Nickey Mernagh, James Stafford and Declan Byrne, which gave them a 0-8 to 0-4 lead at the break.

Ballymahon could only manage a brace of points by John Lennon in the second half and they were reduced to 14 players in stoppage time when Ken Lovell was sent off for a second yellow card offence.

RATHNEW: T Murphy; L Glynn, E White, J McDonald; E Franey, M Coffey, C Murphy; J Stafford (0-1), D Byrne (0-1); R Dignam, T Doyle (0-2), A Mernagh; T Gill (0-3), R Coffey, B Mernagh. Sub: N Mernagh (0-1) for McDonald (14 mins).

BALLYMAHON: F Kelly; G Dooley, K Lovell, R Forbes; P Quinn, K Cooney, J Nally; A Hudson, J O'Callaghan; M Lennon, T Smullen (0-1), J Lennon (0-3, 1 free); D McHugh, F Dolan (0-1, free), P Connoly (0-1). Subs: C Bawle for Connolly 50 mins; B Mulvihill for McHugh 52 mins; McHugh for J Lennon 63 mins.

Referee: M Monaghan (Kildare).