Five-goal Dublin sink Lakemen

DUBLIN 5-19 WESTMEATH 0-9

DUBLIN got their expected big win at sun-drenched Mullingar last night beating Westmeath but the Metropolitans still exit this year’s championship after Wicklow edged out Meath.

The Dubs got off to an amazing start with goals from Luke Swan after a mere 17 seconds and another from Sean Guiden just a halfminute later.

Good free-taking from Jordan McDonnell helped to reduce the deficit but the Dubs pounced for another brace of goals in the closing stages of the first half via Swan (in the 26th minute) and Sean Foran (in the first minute of added-time) to lead by 4-9 to 0-5 at the break.

With the issue no longer in doubt, both sides made three changes for the second half.

Dublin continued to dominate and when lively substitute Robbie Bolger palmed the ball to the net in the 39th minute to give his side a 5-11 to 0-5 lead. Dublin finished with 14 players af ter the injured Conor O’Brien could not be replaced. SCORERS – Dublin: S Guiden 1-5 (0-4fs), L Swan 2-1, M Lavin 0-5 (4fs), R Bolger 1-2, S Foran 1-0, L Dunne, C Murray, A Rafter, C McManus, L McGovern, D Smith 0-1 each. Westmeath: J McDonnell 0-3 (3fs), S Fleming 0-2, L Moran, E McCabe, A Cronin, E Gaffney (f) 0-1 each.

DUBLIN – S Bohan; C O’Brien, A Fearon, A Rafter; C McManus, E Cashman, M Lavin; A Watson, E Adamson; L Dunne, C Murray, D Smith; S Guiden, L Swan, S Foran. Subs: R Bolger for Swan (h/t), M O’Leary for Dunne (h/t), L McGovern for Murray (h/t), C Hennessy for Adamson (41), E Farquharson for Lavin (53), R Dwyer for Smith (inj., 54). WESTMEATH – C McCourt; C Drumm, C Daly, S Murtagh; J Gahan, C Gibney, D Seery; J Coffey, A Cronin; J McDonnell, K O’Sullivan, S Fleming; C Cleary, B McGauran, E Gaffney. Subs: L Moran for Coffey (h/t), W Smith for Murtagh (h/t), D Keegan for Gahan (h/t), E McCabe for Cleary (43), T Keena for McGauran (46) , O Raleigh for McDonnell (46). REF – F Pierce (Offaly).