Ciaran Caulfield's display was the mainstay as Meath ran out decisive winners over Westmeath at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday afternoon. To view photos CLICK HERE

Meath ............. 3-11

Westmeath ..... 0-7

From Ruairi Kinsella's fourth minute opener Meath led to the finish to secure a home semi-final meeting with Laois next Saturday afternoon.

In addition to the impressive wing-back Caulfield, Meath had six other scorers. The Trim teenager posted the penultimate score before placing Kinsella for their final score, a 57th minute goal. 

Just as in their impressive win over Dublin, Meath pulled clear in the final third of the game. When Westmeath captain Sean Leech pointed a 39th minute 45-metre free, there were just four points in it, 1-7 to 0-6.

All through John McCarthy's men looked the physically superior side. They emphasised that in the final third of the game when they doubled their tally, outscoring the visitors by 2-4 to 0-1.

Westmeath were well in contention when trailing by 0-5 to 1-5 at the break. They managed just two points thereafter when playing into the old swimming pool end. Senan Baker got both points, with the second helped over by Meath 'keeper Billy Hogan. 

That left it 1-9 to 0-7 and Baker was wide with a goal attempt moments later. When play switched to the opposite end John McDonagh became the second Dunshaughlin player to net on the day, leaving Meath eight points clear after 49 minutes. 

Both goalkeepers were pressed into second-half action with Hogan fielding well into the sun shortly after the break. 

Towards the end of the third quarter, Westmeath's Jamie Mulkearns saved well from Kinsella before sub Mikey Lynam diverted Alan Bowden's fisted follow-up out for a 45. 

Not as prominent as he was in the win over Dublin, Eoghan Frayne emphatically pointed the 45. Later Caulfield placed Frayne with a goal chance that Mulkearns stopped with aplomb.

Playing into the sun, Meath opened brightly with points from Ruairi Kinsella and team captain Eoghan Frayne. Ten minutes in Aaron Murphy goaled finishing a move started by Caulfield. 

The pendulum swung Westmeath's way with four of the next five points. Senan Baker - son of former Clare star Ollie Baker - got the visitors going in the 11th minute. Danny McCartan (two) and Mikey Moffatt also contributed to Westmeath's tally. 

When McCartan landed his second free, the deficit was down to two points (0-4 to 1-3) after 17 minutes. Meath led by 1-4 to 0-4 at the first water break. The remainder of the half yielded just two scores. A classy John McDonagh point for Meath was countered by a McCartan free. 

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.

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