Tipperary 3-27

Westmeath 0-16

Jason Forde scored 0-14 as Tipperary swatted aside Westmeath's challenge at Semple Stadium to register their first win in this year's Allianz Hurling League.

Forde hit 0-9 in the first half alone to help the All-Ireland champions to a commanding 2-14 to 0-7 lead at the break. It continued to be one-way traffic after the restart with a late 1-1 from Seamus Callanan adding gloss to the scoreline for the hosts, who still have a chance of reaching the knockout stages.

Westmeath's cause wasn't helped by a straight red card for top-scorer Killian Doyle following an incident involving Sean O’Brien five minutes into the second half.

Points from Derek McNicholas and Doyle ensured Westmeath of parity, 0-3 apiece, after 10 minutes, but Tipp then reeled off three unanswered points before Cian Darcy pounced on a mistake by Westmeath 'keeper Aaron McHugh for the opening goal in the 16th minute.

Michael Breen and Doyle traded scores before Forde and Alan Flynn extended the Premier County's lead. A second goal by Jake Morris effectively ended the game as a contest with only 19 minutes elapsed.

Forde continued to punish Shane O'Brien's side from placed balls before Doyle's 40th minute dismissal left them facing an impossible task.

Allan Devine took over the free-taking duties and slotted two quick points, but Tipp drove on with a succession of classy scores from Ronan Maher and Morris before Callanan, who was making his first start of the season, applied the coup de grace late on.

Tipperary - B Hogan; C Barrett, B Heffernan, S O’Brien; S Kennedy, R Maher (0-3), B O’Mara; A Flynn (0-2), M Breen (0-2); J Forde (0-14, 9f, 1sl), S Callanan (1-1), N O’Meara; C Darcy (1-1), J Morris (1-3), M Kehoe (0-1). Subs: C Morgan for C Barrett, N McGrath for M Kehoe, D Quirke for S O’Brien, P Flynn for N O’Meara, P Cadell for S Kennedy.

Westmeath - A McHugh; A Ennis, T Doyle, C Shaw; A Craig, A Clarke (0-1), L Varley; R Greville, C Boyle; J Boyle, D McNicholas (0-2), J Coll; K Doyle (0-7, 6f, 1'65), A Devine (0-5f), N Mitchell. Subs: C Doyle (0-1) for J Coll, B McHugh for A McHugh, D Clinton for J Boyle, D Egerton for A Ennis, J McCarthy for N Mitchell.

Referee - P Murphy.

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