A crowd of 67,075 watched a disappointing GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship semi-final at Croke Park this afternoon as reigning champions Dublin advanced to their fourth Leinster final in succession, thanks to an unconvincing two-point win over Westmeath.
Read James McMahon's text matchtracker.
Armagh official Padraig Hughes produced the best display of refereeing seen to date in either the Football or Hurling Championships this year, and kept a tight control on this game and awarded 42 frees in all.
Westmeath's defensive prowess certainly came to the fore in the opening half, with the Lake County men putting in an excellent display at the back. Full-back Kieran Galvin was reasonably solid, while midfielder Donal O'Donoghue and half-forward Doran Harte also dropped back on occasion to boost their rear-guard.
Dublin may have got the opening point, following a Conal Keaney free inside two minutes, but his side were firmly tested as Westmeath came bursting out of the blocks.
Denis Glennon drew level inside three minutes for Tomás Ó Flatharta's charges, but this was only the start of a mesmerising first half display by his side, with Michael Ennis hitting the back of Stephen Cluxton's net two minutes later.
A well-worked move by the Westmeath attack was finished to the net by the fist of Ennis in the seventh minute to give his side a 1-01 to 0-01 lead, after good work also by Dessie Dolan.
Ennis' goal proved to be the difference between the sides for long periods of the first half, with Dublin heavily relying on scores from placed-balls with Tomás Quinn and Conal Keaney converting five frees between them by the interval.
Right corner-back David Henry and team captain Alan Brogan converted Dublin's only points from play in the opening 35 minutes, with Henry's score leaving a goal between the sides at 1-04 to 0-04 as the game entered the second quarter.
Dublin were regularly frustrated for large spells of the first half, and picked up three yellow cards during that period with Colin Moran, Shane Ryan and Jason Sherlock all entering the Hughes' notebook.
However, Dublin outscored Westmeath by five points to one in the second quarter and the sides were level at the interval at 0-08 to 1-05, with Ciaran Whelan now introduced at midfield for a second time, following a second blood injury for Shane Ryan.
Paul Caffrey rang the changes at half-time with Paul Casey and Mark Vaughan both introduced, and this certainly helped their cause, with a Whelan point inside 20 seconds of the restart putting Dublin into the lead for the first time since the second minute.
Dublin continued to pile on the pressure with Tomás Quinn crafting out a goal chance, but Westmeath marshalled well with their goalkeeper Gary Connaughton pulling off a fine save.
Both sides misfired over the following seven minutes with two wides apiece, but Westmeath, and Dessie Dolan in particular, dug deep, and with two points inside a minute from the Garrycastle clubman, the Lake County turned a one-point deficit into a one-point lead, by the 45th minute.
But it was Dublin's turn to shine and although a Conal Keaney free came back off the upright, points from substitute Diarmuid Connolly and defender Colin Moran ensured Paul Caffrey's charges were back in front by the minimum margin with 18 minutes remaining.
They kept their noses in front in the closing stages, frustrating Westmeath into submission with Dolan kicking some poor wides and Sherlock and Barry Cahill claiming two important points.
A late free from Glennon kept his side's hopes up but time was soon up and the Dubs squeezed through to face Wexford in the 20 July decider.
Dublin: S Cluxton; D Henry (0-01), R McConnell, S O'Shaughnessy; C Moran (0-01), B Cullen, B Cahill (0-01); E Fennell, S Ryan; P Flynn, J Sherlock (0-01), B Brogan; A Brogan (0-01), C Keaney (0-02, 2f), T Quinn (0-03, 3f). Subs: C Whelan for Ryan (BS 6-14); D Connolly (0-02) for B Brogan (17); C Whelan for Ryan (BS 34-48); M Vaughan for Flynn (HT); P Casey for McConnell (HT); C Whelan (0-01) for Fennell (54); B McManamon for Quinn (65).
Westmeath: G Connaughton; F Boyle, K Gavin, J Keane; M Ennis, D Heavin, D Healy; D O'Donoghue, D Duffy; F Wilson, J Smith, D Harte; D Dolan (0-05, 3f), Denis Glennon (0-03, 1f), D Bannon (1-00). Subs: A Mangan for Bannon (23); M Flanagan for Smith (57); David Glennon for Wilson (67).
Referee: Padraig Hughes (Armagh).
