Westmeath 2-8 Louth 1-8: Westmeath clinched an unlikely return to Division One with a deserved win over Louth at Drogheda yesterday. First-half goals from PJ Ward and Gary Dolan ensured the midlanders did their bit but they were overjoyed to hear Waterford had put Cavan to the sword in Breffni Park.

A purple patch 10 minutes before the interval went a long way to securing this victory. Louth were just one point ahead when Ward fisted past Shane McCoy in the Louth goal and seconds later Dolan put them in control with a superb drive to the bottom corner.

Louth had responded well to a Mark Stanfield goal on 13 minutes for Westmeath but were always playing catch-up after Dolan's effort and trailed 2-5 to 1-3 at the break.

Westmeath held on quite comfortably in the second half.

Louth fielded just six of the side that won promotion against Waterford and will play Limerick in next week's semi-final.

Westmeath will face Donegal, but promotion was the real prize.

WESTMEATH: C Mullin; C Davey, D O'Donoghue, S Cleary; M Ennis, D Healy, G Glennon; D Duffy, D O'Shaughnessy; J Nugent (0-2), G Dolan (1-0), A Mangan; PJ Ward (1-1), D Gleeson, D Dolan (0-5, frees). Subs: G Dillon for O'Donoghue (half-time), G Duffy for Nugent (66 mins), J Fallon for Ward (70 mins).

LOUTH: S McCoy; B Reilly, C Goss, J Carr; D Finnegan, P McGinnity, J O'Brien; M Farrelly, J Doyle; R Carroll, H McGinn, J Neary; T O'Brien, M Stanfield (1-1, 45), B White (0-3, two frees). Subs: C Grimes (0-1, free) for Carroll (19 mins), M Brennan (0-1) for McGinn (28 mins), D Clarke (0-2, frees) for Reilly (half-time), P Keenan for Doyle (59 mins), JP Rooney for White (66 mins).

Referee: A McAlynn (Derry)