Dublin 4-26 Westmeath 0-11: As it Happened

No doubt Dublin will be trumpeted for such a resounding win, but really within the opening few minutes the game was over as a contest and it was very evident that Westmeath were not up to the standard required to challenge Dublin.

Kildare were impressive yesterday and will be a sterner test in the Leinster final, but it's impossible to read anything into such a facile victory for Pat Gilroy's side. If anything, he'll have to work hard to keep their feet on the ground for when they face tougher opposition later in the summer.

70 min: Referee Jimmy White blows up straight away to end Westmeath's misery.

69 min: POINT DUBLIN. Ross McConnell scores seconds later. It's ding-dong stuff, but the game is over and there's noticeably less effort being put into the chase now.

68 min: POINT WESTMEATH. John Connellan - Westmeath's best forward - scores from the left.

67 min: POINT DUBLIN. Man of the match Jason Sherlock blasts over his sixth point from open play - his constant movement, intelligent lines and inventive passing have been way too much for the Westmeath defenders.

66 min: POINT DUBLIN. But Dublin answer right back as Ciaran Whelan scores from even further out.

65 min: POINT WESTMEATH. David O'Shaughnessy points from distance with a fine strike.

62 min: Dublin clear their bench, but with the likes of Shane Ryan and Ciaran Whelan coming on, there'll be no let-up.

61 min: GOAL DUBLIN. Mossy Quinn gets in on goal and skilfully nicks it past Connaughton after ghosting past his man.

60 min: POINT WESTMEATH. An academic score from Connellan.

60 min: POINT DUBLIN. Another sweet score from Sherlock as he turns his man inside out and converts.

59 min: GOAL DUBLIN. I guess not. Darren Magee is sent through on goal and a fine finish as he pokes the ball home under the advancing Connaughton.

57 min: POINT DUBLIN. Connolly brushes past two defenders and passes off to Sherlock, who opts for the point from four yards out. Taking pity on Westmeath perhaps.

55 min: Bernard Brogan misses! To be fair, he was off balance and it was off his left boot, but previously he could have found the target blindfolded.

54 min: POINT DUBLIN. No let-up as Dublin score again from a free.

53 min: POINT WESTMEATH. Glennon again - he sticks a sharp shot over the bar from a tight angle. Fine finish.

52 min: GOAL DUBLIN. And no sooner had I said that then Connaughton commits the howler of the day - goes to punch a long ball in and misses it entirely. The ball drops into Bernard Brogan's hands and he slams home Dublin's second goal.

51 min: Gary Connaughton gets down well to deny Keaney's penalty. Good save.

50 min: PENALTY DUBLIN. A beautifully flighted ball from Sherlock into Conal Keaney, and Michael Ennis wraps him up and gives away a certain spot kick.

49 min: Dessie Dolan is on for Westmeath.

49 min: POINT DUBLIN. Make it 16 - Jason Sherlock pops over another facile score.

48 min: POINT DUBLIN. Barry Cahill bursts through - unchallenged - and slots over his first point. It's a 15 point margin.

47 min: POINT WESTMEATH. Paul Flynn gets himself the first yellow of the match for a trip and Glennon scores from the resultant free.

46 min: POINT DUBLIN. Bernard Brogan cannot miss today - he curls a beautiful score from the edge of the area.

45 min: Denis Glennon bounces through three Dublin defenders and tries to fist over a point, but misses the target after a great effort to get there.

43 min: Bernard Brogan is set free one-on-one with Connaughton, but the 'keeper pulls off a fine save to deny Dublin a second goal.

42 min: POINT DUBLIN. Spurred on by two Westmeath scores - how dare they - Connolly powers through the middle of the Westmeath defence and scores.

41 min: POINT WESTMEATH. John Connellan sends over an impressive, high, floating point.

41 min: And Cluxton's kick-out is poor, but Glennon can't control the loose ball - it's not their day.

40 min: POINT WESTMEATH. Denis Glennon is impeded as he pursues a bad pass, and he pops over an easy free.

38 min: Alan Brogan challenges Connaughton in the air and punches the ball towards the goal, but a great effort by Kieran Gavin saves Westmeath falling further behind.

37 min: POINT DUBLIN. Alan Brogan turns on the gas and scores with ease. It's not looking good for Westmeath here.

37 min: POINT DUBLIN. Bernard Brogan casually slots the free.

36 min: 51,458 are in headquarters. Sherlock bursts past Kieran Gavin and earns a free in front of the posts.

35 min: We're off again in the second period.

So Dublin are so far ahead in this game in every department, it's tough to see any hope for Westmeath.

Conal Keaney's accuracy, Jason Sherlock's movement and invention and the Brogans' tenacity have pushed Dublin into their commanding lead, while their defence has barely given Westmeath a sniff.

Worse than that, Westmeath are just off the pace - not keeping up with their men at all. They're not at the races, folks.

Half-time: Dublin 1-14 Westmeath 0-04

35+1 min: And Glennon gets free again, but again pushes his shot well wide.

35 min: Decent inter-passing by Westmeath sets Denis Glennon free, but his effort is poor and it's his side's sixth wide.

34 min: Some of Dublin's long passes are now missing their mark by a distance, giving Westmeath the opportunity to attack. But the Dublin tackling and marking is still very focused.

33 min: POINT WESTMEATH. Conor Lynam breaks from deep and finds some space to stroke it over the bar. Nice point, but they need an awful lot more of those.

30 min: POINT DUBLIN. Alan sends the free into his brother Bernard and now he's fouled. An easy score from that free.

29 min: Connaughton doesn't make that mistake twice - he sends his next kick-out as far as he can. But it's not enough as Alan Brogan comes up with the ball and is fouled.

27 min: GOAL DUBLIN. A short kick-out from Westmeath is mishandled and Bernard Brogan nips in for possession and sends a rocket into the top corner. Yikes.

26 min: POINT DUBLIN. Alan Brogan runs onto Sherlock's pass and chips over the bar.

25 min: POINT DUBLIN. And now Paul Griffin comes forward and powers over an impressive point. Forget what I said about them slowing down - there's no stopping them.

25 min: POINT DUBLIN. But straight away a long kick-out finds Conal Keaney and he blasts a point from just inside Westmeath's half.

24 min: POINT WESTMEATH. Quality point from Lynam from a tight angle after Westmeath enjoy an unusually easy passage into an attacking position.

23 min: Ross McConnell's ball into the danger area is somewhat off the mark - straight out of play. There is a sense now that Dublin have already begun to relax.

22 min: Sherlock escapes his marker again with a simple burst of pace, but this time his attempt sails wide of the posts.

21 min: POINT WESTMEATH: Denis Glennon scores from a free after a silly foul near the touchline by Paul Griffin.

20 min: The difference as Westmeath struggle to get the ball up the field is very clear - Dublin are pressuring the ball and are tight to their men all around the field.

19 min: POINT DUBLIN. Francis Boyle blatantly fouls Conal Keaney near the touchline after Duffy fails to clear Westmeath's lines. Easy score from the resultant free by Keaney.

18 min: Dublin slice through Westmeath so easily it's embarrassing. David Connolly's clever run off Jason Sherlock sees him free in on goal, but his measured effort is steered wide of the upright.

16 min: David Duffy emerges from swarming Dublin defence with a clear sight of goal, but carelessly puts it wide - Westmeath's fourth of the game.

15 min: POINT DUBLIN. David Henry floats in a very long and accurate pass into Keaney - there is so much space for every Dublin player that it is staggering. Keaney is clumsily fouled and scores with an easy free.

13 min: At last a breath can be taken! Westmeath have broken their duck and it has calmed down slightly, but Dublin are all over Westmeath in every sense.

11 min: POINT WESTMEATH. Finally. John Connellan points after a mistake in the Dublin defence.

11 min: POINT DUBLIN. Brogan (Alan) again. Westmeath's defence is pitifully inadequate in the face of the Dublin onslaught.

10 min: POINT DUBLIN. Alan Brogan point. This looks like game over after less than ten minutes.

It's actually quite difficult to give detailed descriptions of this game because Dublin are so rampant and are scoring so rapidly. But all you need to know is that Dublin are utterly, utterly dominant.

8 min: POINT DUBLIN. Westmeath being shredded by Dublin. Fast, quick ball by the Dubs and Jason Sherlock finishes.

7 min: POINT DUBLIN. Foul by Michael Ennis on Alan Brogan (shirt tug). Pointed free by Bernard Brogan.

6 min: Another wide by Westmeath. Another wide by Martin Flanagan.

5 min: POINT DUBLIN. Point by Dublin veteran Jason Sherlock.

4 min: First wide of the match goes to Westmeath's Martin Flanagan. It was a good chance after patient build-up play, but the finish was poor.

2 min: POINT DUBLIN. Three shots by Dublin. Three points for Dublin. This time, another for Bernard Brogan. All Dublin's points from play so far. Westmeath struggling after only a couple of minutes.

2 min: POINT DUBLIN. Keaney adds to Dublin's lead as the Dubs take an early hold of the game.

1 min: POINT DUBLIN. Quick-fire point from Dublin's Bernard Brogan after a lay-off from Conal Keaney.

4pm: Game on. Dublin playing from left to right, defending the Hill 16 end.

3.59: Amhrán na BhFiann time.

3.58pm: Remember, Kildare await the victors here in the Leinster final. The Lilywhites were impressive in their dismissal of Laois last night. Read the report of Kildare's win here.

3.55pm: Team News: Rory O'Carroll, 19, is making his Championship debut for Dublin at number four. John Connellan returns to the Westmeath full-forward line for his first Championship game in two years.