Westmeath got their Leinster senior football championship campaign off to a flying start this afternoon by dismantling Longford with a 5-25 to 1-16 victory at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Mark McHugh’s side made a dream start with Brandon Kelly netting them a goal four minutes in, and while it’d be quickly cancelled out by James Moran at the other end, there’d be much more to come from the Lake men as they booked a Leinster quarter-final date against old rivals Meath next weekend.

Kelly and Matthew Whittaker sent over points to square the derby at 1-2 apiece ahead of Luke Loughlin hammering in a ninth minute goal and there’d be more majors from Kelly and Loughlin to put their side into a 4-7 to 1-7 lead come the 26th minute.

Shane Corcoran drilled in the visitors’ fifth goal three minutes later, as they moved towards a remarkable 5-9 to 1-8 half-time lead, and they’d go on to add 0-16 to their tally after the change of ends.

Ray Connellan sent over a two-pointer early in the restart, with Longford hitting back with long distance efforts from Dylan Farrell (free) and Dessie Reynolds (2), as the game’s closing quarter saw Connellan raising another orange flag. After that, Tom Molloy chipped in with a brace of points and Sam McCartan (two-point free) helped to round off Westmeath’s impressive winning tally.

Meanwhile, Wicklow dealt newly crowned Division 4 champions Carlow a 2-15 to 1-7 defeat at Netwatch Cullen Park to set-up a home provincial quarter-final date with Dublin in seven days’ time.

Colm Hulton opened Carlow’s account with a two-pointer in the second minute, but it was the visitors that went on to dominate large portions of the first-half as Dean Healy, Eoin D’Arcy (free), Oisin McGraynor and Matt Nolan all landed points ahead of Mark Jackson sending over a brace of two-pointers.

Leading by double scores (0-8 to 0-4) at the half, Oisin McConville’s side would hammer in the game’s first goal through Padraig O’Toole in the 41st minute and, even with Jamie Clarke erasing it six minutes later, the points of Chris O’Brien, D’Arcy (free) and Healy kept them in control ahead of McGraynor registering their second goal late on.

RESULT

From the 2026 Leinster GAA Senior Football Championship Round 1

Wicklow book their place in the Quarter Finals with a commanding win over Carlow in Netwatch Cullen Park

Carlow 1-07
Wicklow 2-15#LeinsterChamps26 #WeAllBelong pic.twitter.com/2WwkhHncwd

— Leinster GAA (@gaaleinster) April 12, 2026

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