Laois manager Michael Dempsey preferred to savour the victory rather than immediately address why his side stuttered to a three-point win.

Laois survived a lacklustre opening, primarily because of some appalling finishing by their opponents, before gradually warming to the demands of championship football. Dempsey conceded: "I am just happy that we won. We had to work very hard for it.

"People forget, though, that we had seven newcomers to championship football and it was always going to take time for them to settle. There is a certain amount of pressure associated with this level of football and I thought that the players adapted after a slow start.

"Westmeath were very fit and you could certainly see the benefit of them already having two matches in the championship. We had our homework done on the way they would play. They have a very talented full-forward line and we had to shut them down. Our fellas knew what to do.

"Our priority was to get over today's match and we managed that. We obviously need to improve whether it's Dublin or Kildare that we face. I have no preference."

Sixty yards away in the bowels of the new stand, Westmeath manager Michael Lowry stood outside a dressing-room silenced by the disappointment of defeat. He was philosophical in his analysis: "We put a great deal of work into the last seven or eight months and therefore the players are very disappointed.

"If we had not worked that hard then the players would not feel as badly as they do. This hurt. But, if you don't put the ball between the posts then you can't have too many complaints. We gave away a soft goal and despite going a point up just after the interval Laois always looked capable of pulling us back.

"One goal and 15 points is a lot to give away. In ways this was similar to the Longford match in that we had difficulty in putting the ball between the posts. The players should learn from this. Croke Park was new to them. You cannot waltz in here and expect to win Leinster and All-Ireland titles.