Meath will face Laois in the semi-finals of the Leinster minor football championship next Saturday after both sides came through their respective quarter-finals this afternoon.

Having dumped out Dublin two months ago, the Royals showed no signs of their impressive form dipping as they cruised past neighbours Westmeath on a 3-11 to 0-7 score-line at Pairc Tailteann.

Aaron Murphy’s goal nine minutes in helped the hosts lead by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break and the points of John McDonagh, Eoghan Frayne and Ruairi Kinsella saw the margin at double scores (1-9 to 0-6) 15 minutes into the restart.

McDonagh netted five minutes later to kill off the Lake County's chances prior to Kinsella hammering home a third a minute from time, rounding off the 13-point win.

It means Meath will meet Laois next Saturday afternoon following the latter’s 2-14 to 0-5 win over Carlow at O’Moore Park.

Goals from Conor Heffernan and Colin Dunne inside the opening 12 minutes helped the hosts breeze in this one as they went on to an unassailable 2-8 to 0-2 half-time lead.

It was a day to forget for Carlow as they would only add three points to their tally in the second-half, while Dunne, Conor Kelly (2), Shaun Fitzpatrick and Kian Lawlor all posted points at the other end.

In Newbridge, Kildare were also heavily in command in handing Louth a 2-16 to 1-7 defeat and securing their passage through to the last four.

The Lilywhites were 0-4 to 0-3 ahead when Daragh Sloane buried in their first goal on 28 minutes and they’d kick the next three points unanswered to lead by seven at the break.

Fionn Meagher set-up Tom Matthews for a sorely needed Louth goal five minutes into the resumption but, in the end, it would only prove consolation as Fionn O’Giollain lashed in another goal before the water break that had the hosts out of sight.

It sets up a semi-final date between Kildare and Offaly next Saturday at 12.30pm with the venue to be confirmed.

The Faithful County were 2-9 to 0-9 winners over Wicklow this afternoon at O’Connor Park, Tullamore.

The sides had been deadlocked at 0-4 each in the 30th minute when Alex Egan’s goal put some daylight between them and the three-point margin stood at the break.

Eoin Doyle’s frees would draw the game level for Wicklow prior to Cormac Egan landing 1-1 in the space of three minutes and Jamie Guing’s point a minute from time ensuring the win for the hosts.

Meath - B Hogan; B Moran, L Kelly, B Donnelly; S O'Donoghue, O Kelly, C Caulfield (0-1); S Emmanuel, C Gray; J McDonagh (1-2), R Kinsella (1-2), M Coffey (0-1); A Bowden (0-2), E Frayne (0-3, 1f, 1'45), A Murphy (1-0). Subs: T Corbett for L Kelly, L Stafford for M Coffey, O Keogh for A Bowden, C Smith for C Caulfield.

Westmeath - J Mulkearns; D Scahill, T Cloonan, S Smyth; P Quinn, T Kelleher, J Costello; T Conteh, D Murtagh; S Leech (0-1f), S Baker (0-2), W Kirby; B Cooney, M Moffat (0-1), D McCartan (0-3f). Subs: M Lynam for D Scahill, D McWade for J Conteh, C Cruise for W Kirby, O McNamara for D Murtagh, P Pierson for D McCartan.

Referee - C Dwyer.

**

Laois - S Krebs; D Slevin, B Reddin, B Dempsey; J Hogan, D Dooley, S Fitzpatrick (0-1); S Fingleton, C Heffernan (1-0); O Hooney, C Kelly (0-3), PJ Ward; K O’Donnell (0-2, 1f, 1'45), R Meredith (0-1), C Dunne (1-6, 0-1f, 0-1m). Subs: K Lawlor (0-1) for O Hooney, B Coen for K O’Donnell, D Scully for S Fitzpatrick, J Byrne for PJ Ward, DJ White for C Dunne.

Carlow - J Brennan; E Gorry, E Byrne, D Curran; P Byrne, A Johnson, C Timmons; S Smyth, C O’Neill (0-1); O Dillon (0-1), B McMahon (0-2f), P Whyte; C Fagan, O Doyle, K Nolan. Subs C Doran for P Whyte, C McGrath for E Gorry, C Byrne for J Brennan, J Farrell for A Johnson, R Quinlan (0-1m) for C Fagan.

Referee - M Stones.

**

Kildare - C Barker; R Burke, E Byrne, F Tully; H O'Neill, J McGrath, F O'Giollain (1-0); C Kehoe, C Lonergan; C Litton (0-1), D Swords (0-2), B Fitzsimons (0-1); A Fanning (0-5, 3f), D Sloane (1-0), O O'Sullivan (0-4). Subs: S Farrell (0-2) for C Kehoe, J Ledwidge for B Fitzsimons, C Grimes (0-1f) for A Fanning, J McKevitt for H O'Neill, J Kilbride for D Swords.

Louth - D Cassidy; R O'Hagan, C O'Donoghue, C Murphy; C Maher, P Brennan, S Flanagan; B Cafferty, B Corrigan; C Connor, E O'Neill, S Reynolds; L Grifferty, T Matthews (1-2, 0-2f), K McElroy (0-5, 4f). Subs: F Meagher for L Grifferty, C Malone for P Brennan, K McDonald for R O'Hagan, D Reilly for S Reynolds, E Murray for C Connor.

Referee - S Fagan.

**

Offaly - D Dunican; D Finneran, T Hyland, C Conroy; D Dempsey, C Ryan, G O'Meara; J Furlong, H Plunkett; M Dalton, A Egan (1-1), P Robbins; J Guing (0-4), K O'Neill (0-3), C Egan (1-1). Subs: J Bergin for H Plunkett, S Finneran for A Egan, P Taaffe for T Hyland, L Myer for C Egan.

Wicklow - J Sargent; M Nolan, L O'Brien, A Brennan; N Sheridan, L O'Neill (0-1), M O'Rourke; D Cooney, J Kirwan; C Baker, J Pendergast, F Treacy; T Keogh (0-1), E Doyle (0-7, 6f), JP Nolan. Sub: C Fee for A Brennan.

Referee - G Hurley.

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