Dublin 2-22 Westmeath 0-9 Leinster Under-21 Hurling Championship: As the final scoreline suggests Dublin cruised to victory in this Leinster under-21 Hurling Championship quarter-final in Mullingar last night.

Three early points gave the winners a flying start, a goal from Shane O'Neill pushing them 1-5 to 0-2 ahead midway through the first-half.

Westmeath, with Brendan Murtagh and Daniel Carty to the fore, battled back to trail by 1-5 to 0-5 as half-time approached but four late first-half points gave Dublin a 1-10 to 0-6 interval lead.

Mark McNicholas pointed early in the second half for Westmeath, but, for the remainder of the match's third-quarter, Dublin took charge again, leading 1-16 to 0-8 at the middle point of the second half.

When Conal Keaney scored Dublin's second goal with 11 minutes remaining, it only confirmed the inevitable outcome.

Westmeath's spirits never flagged, but their lack of bite in attack was their ultimate downfall.

Dublin's outstanding performer on the night was Conal Keaney. He was well supported by Simon Daly, Stephen Hiney, Padraig Fluery and Shane O'Neill.

DUBLIN: G Maguire; K Elliott, S Daly, P Brennan; D O'Reilly (0-2), S Hiney (0-1), Cormac O'Brien; S McCann (0-1), R Fallon; M Carton (0-1), P Fluery (0-3), C Keaney (1-9); S O'Neill (1-1), S O'Connor, F Chambers (0-2) Subs: G Keogh (0-1) for Chambers; D Flanagan for Keaney; S Hyland for Hiney; T Sweeney (0-1) for Carton; T Somers for Brennan.

WESTMEATH: K Fitzopatrick; E Murray, J Fagan, D Clune; D Kiernan, B Murtagh (0-2), S Owens; P Dowdall, E Loughlin; R Whelan, P Fanning (0-1), M McNicholas (0-2); N Flanagan, D Carty (0-4), C Flanagan. Subs: P Burke for Flanagan; D Grifferty for Fitzpatrick; A Gallagher for Kiernan.

Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).