A dominant second half display saw Westmeath inflict a heavy defeat on neighbours Longford at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.
It leaves Paddy Christie's side bottom of Division 3 with no points from two games and already facing relegation trouble.
In a game to forget for Longford, they ended with 13 men after both David McGivney and Andrew Farrell received red cards for yellow and black card offences late in the second half.
The game was evenly poised in the opening minutes as the side traded scores. Daniel Mimnagh and McGivney were on target for Longford while Westmeath scores came from John Heslin (free) and a fine Conor McCormack effort.
Midway through the half, Longford got a hold on the game and five points in a row gave them a four point lead in the 32nd minute. Three of those scores were excellent points from Dessie Reynolds (including a mark).
Westmeath got a much needed score in the 34th minute when Heslin pointed over a free. Lorcan Dolan and a superb Senan Baker effort saw the Lake County trail by one point at the break - 0-8 to 0-7. Those points were to prove crucial.
The game swung in Westmeath’s favour in the opening exchanges of the second half. Points from Nigel Harte and Ronan O’Toole gave them a two point lead.
In the 43rd minute a Paddy Collum goal kick was intercepted by Ray Connellan, he played to Luke Loughlin who found the back of the net.
The lead was five and with Westmeath hungry and clinical in front of the posts Longford struggled to contain them. Such was Westmeath’s dominance in the second half and Longford’s collapse, the hosts only scored one point - that came through Darren Gallagher in the 56th minute.
Dessie Dolan’s side got their third goal of the game in the 66th minute through Heslin after a pass from Sam McCartan. Substitute Stephen Smith kicked over two points before McCartan sealed a fine win with Westmeath’s fourth goal near the end.
Longford: P Collum; P Fox, A Farrell, PJ Masterson; R Moffett, G Rogers, I O’Sullivan; D Gallagher (0-1), F Sheridan; M Quinn, D Mimnagh (0-1), K McGann; J Hagan (0-1), D McGivney (0-2,1f), D Reynolds (0-4,1m). Subs: R Brady for McGann, P Lynn for Rogers and J Macken for (47), P Foy for Mimnagh (65)
Westmeath: J Daly; D Scahill, K Maguire, S Baker (0-1); N Harte (0-1), R Wallace, J Dolan; S McCartan (1-1), C McCormack (0-2); S Duncan, R O’Toole (0-1), R Connellan (0-1); L Dolan (1-1), J Heslin (1-5,5f), L Loughlin (1-1).
Sub: S Smith (0-1)for L Dolan (58), K Martin for Baker (61), C Dillon for J Dolan (62), A McCormack for Duncan and S Dempsey for Loughlin (68)
Referee: N McKenna (Monaghan)
