Westmeath and Carlow stamped their league final visas with victories over Kerry and Meath respectively in today's 1pm throw-ins.
The in-form midlanders sealed their final berth when a haul of 1-10 from Allan Devine helped them to a magnificent 1-20 to 0-16 victory over Kerry in Mullingar.
Killian Doyle registered four times for the Lake County, who progress with a 100% record from their five outings.
Defeat knocked the Kingdom out of contention, allowing Carlow to take advantage and claim the runners-up berth on the league table and a place in next weekend's Division 2A decider.
The Barrowsiders gained their fourth win of the campaign this afternoon, coming away from Trim with a battling 0-20 to 1-13 victory over Meath.
The Royals started best and were within a point at the break, 0-8 to 0-7, but were reduced to 14 men just before the short whistle as Colm Bonnar's men - who had John Michael Nolan dismissed at the death - went on to qualify for a second successive final, where they will get a chance to avenge their sole defeat to date.
Westmeath - P Carroll; S Power, T Doyle, G Greville; A Craig, P Greville, D McNicholas (0-1f); R Greville, C Boyle (0-1); J Gilligan (0-1), K Doyle (0-4), A Devine (1-10, 0-6f, 0-2'65); C Doyle, N Mitchell, E Price. Subs: N O'Brien (0-1) for N Mitchell, D Clinton (0-2) for C Doyle, S Clavin for A Devine, D Egerton for C Boyle.
Kerry - M Stackpoole; J Buckley, B Murphy, S Weir; T O'Connor, M Boyle, D Collins; B Barrett, P O'Connor (0-1); D Griffin, P Boyle (0-2, 1f), B O'Leary (0-1); J Conway (0-1), S Conway (0-10f), J Goulding (0-1). Subs: S Nolan for D Griffin, B O'Mahony for J Conway, D Dineen for T O'Connor, C Harty for P O'Connor, T Murnane for B O'Leary.
Referee - G Quilty.
**
Carlow - B Tracey; A Corcoran, P Doyle, M Doyle; E Nolan, D English (0-1f), R Coady; J Kavanagh, D Byrne (0-1); S Murphy, P Coady (0-1), J M Nolan (0-1); M Kavanagh (0-4f), J Doyle (0-4), C Nolan (0-6, 1f). Subs: R Kelly (0-1) for M Doyle, J Murphy for J Kavanagh, E Byrne for M Kavanagh, D Murphy (0-1f) for P Coady, K McDonald for C Nolan.
Meath - S McGann; S Geraghty, D Healy, N Weir; J Keena, D Kelly, S Brennan; A Forde (1-1), K Keoghan; J Regan (0-10, 7f, 1'65), J Toher, J Kelly; P Conneely (0-1), E Marsh, A Douglas. Subs: S Morris for J Toher, A Gannon for E Marsh, S Quigley (0-1) for P Conneely, C McCabe for A Douglas.
Referee - G McGrath.
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