Westmeath set up a Leinster semi-final date with Meath by overwhelming Wexford at Mullingar today, 1-21 to 0-15.

It wasn't looking good for the hosts when a brace of Kevin O'Grady points edged the Slaneysiders into a 0-14 to 0-12 lead with 13 minutes left to play but a goal from Kieran Martin on the hour turned the tide and Tom Cribbin's men went on to outscore their opponents by 1-9 to 0-1 in the last ten minutes.

Ger Egan, Jimmy Dolan, John Gilligan, Denis Glennon, John Connellan and John Heslin were all on target as the winners finished like the proverbial house on fire in the midlands sunshine.

The Lake County led by the odd point from 15 at the end of an exciting first half. Colm Kehoe had given the Model County an early lead but back came the hosts with points from Kieran Martin (2) and Shane Dempsey (3) to lead by 0-5 to 0-3 after 15 minutes, with Ciaran Lyng nailing Wexford's third point from a free.

Lyng then pointed from play before trading frees with Heslin and Adrian Flynn got forward to tie the scores up again in the 28th minute, 0-6 each. Heslin floated over two more frees either side of one from Ben Brosnan to leave it all to play for at the interval.

Westmeath will face their neighbours at Croker in a fortnight for a place in this year's provincial decider; Wexford's next outing in in 13 days' time, at home to Down in the first round of the Qualifiers.

Westmeath - D Quinn; K Daly, K Maguire, P Holloway; P Sharry (0-1), J Gilligan (0-1), J Dolan (0-1); G Egan (0-2), D Daly (0-1); R Foley, R Connellan, D Corroon; K Martin (1-2), J Heslin (0-5, 4f), S Dempsey (0-4). Subs: J Connellan (0-2) for R Connellan (BC), L Smyth for R Foley, D Glennon (0-2) for D Daly, J Donohoe for K Maguire (BC), D Lynch for K Martin, F Boyle for J Gilligan.

Wexford - S Roche; M Furlong, N Rossiter, J Wadding (0-1); B Malone, S Donohoe, A Flynn (0-2); S Byrne, C Kehoe (0-1); T Rossiter, B Brosnan (0-1f), K Butler; E Nolan, C Lyng (0-8, 6f), K O'Grady (0-2). Subs: R Tierney for M Furlong, P Byrne for C Kehoe (BC), J Tubritt for E Nolan, M O'Regan for T Rossiter, G Molloy for A Flynn.

Referee - F Kelly.

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