Westmeath finished with a goal by Paul Conway and a flurry of points after a Ger Heavin point earned them extra-time at Ardee yesterday.

Louth led at half-time in the match itself, 0-7 to 0-5, and a David Coleman penalty extended the lead. Heavin responded with five unanswered points before goals from Darren Kirwan and substitute JP Rooney pushed the home team into a strong lead, only for an own goal from Stephen Melia and Heavin's accuracy to peg them back.

WESTMEATH: D Ryan; K McKinley, D Brady, F Murray; D Healy, A Canning, D Mitchell; A Corcoran (0-1), P Conway (1-0); D Heavin (0-1), J Cooney (0-1), S Deering; J Fallon (0-5, four frees), D Gavin (0-1), G Heavin (0-7, four frees). Subs: R O'Connell for D Gavin; D O'Shaughnessy for J Cooney; M Murtagh for F Murray; M Staunton (0-2) for S Deering. Extra time subs: P Rouse for K McKinley; R Casey for A Canning; L Gillevan (0- 1) for D Heavin.

LOUTH: S Quigley; R Rooney, B Keenan, A Hoey; S Melia (1-0, own goal), J McGrane, C Doyle; A O'Neill (0-1), P McGuigan; K Callaghan (0-1), J Holland (0-3), B Clarke (0-1); O McDonnell, D Kirwan (1-0), D Coleman (1-1, one free, one pen). Subs: N Malone for O McDonnell; D Reilly for P McGuigan; B Phillips for C Doyle; JP Rooney (1-3, two frees) for Coleman. Extra-time subs: P Kelly for O'Neill; D Reilly for Hoey; O McDonnell for Clarke, A O'Neill for Kirwan.

Referee: G McCabe (Dublin).