By Declan Rooney
Westmeath 1-21 Wexford 0-15
Westmeath kicked 1-09 in the last ten minutes to blast past Wexford and into a Leinster semi-final with Meath in two weeks' time.
Kieran Martin's goal on the hour mark stunned Wexford and the home side proceeded to tear David Power's troops asunder in the closing stages.
Westmeath held a 0-09 to 0-08 lead at the interval, but recovered from a poor third quarter to take victory.
Both sides had players black-carded in the second half – Westmeath also had Ray Connellan sidelined two minutes before the break – but despite a lot of stoppages for bookings and fouls, a super game of football was served up by the teams at Cusack Park.
Westmeath impressed in the early stages and had earned a 0-05 to 0-02 advantage by the 12th minute.
All five points from the home side came from play with corner-forwards Martin and Shane Dempsey running riot.
But it was Wexford that took the lead in the third minute when industrious midfielder Colm Kehoe linked well with Brian Malone before pointing.
But Westmeath hit an unanswered four scores to take control.
Martin landed the first off his left after g0od work from Darragh Daly, Dempsey fisted a second in the sixth minute before he drilled over a sweet score from 40 metres, and Martin kicked his second following a driving run from Paddy Holloway.
Dempsey shot his third point of the half a minute later, but Westmeath missed a great goal chance in the 13th minute when Martin blazed wide, while a couple of points from Ciaran Lyng meant Wexford only trailed by a point at the end of the first quarter.
The home side had Darren Quinn to thank for his fine save which denied Ben Brosnan a certain goal after 19 minutes, and after Adrian Flynn levelled the game in the 27th minute, Westmeath missed their second good goal chance six minutes from the break when Ronan Foley's shot grazed the outside of the post.
A couple of frees from John Heslin gave Westmeath a 0-09 to 0-08 interval lead, but the loss of Connellan to a black card two minutes before the break was a big blow for the home side.
Wexford were also to play without one of their standout operators when the in-form Colm Kehoe followed him to the line for an off the ball offence that drew a black card from the referee.
Westmeath looked to have taken a significant step towards victory when sub John Connellan, Daragh Daly and Dempsey all kicked scores for the home side in the early minutes of the half, but Wexford went on to take over completely.
They kicked six of the next seven points as the home side appeared to fade, playing into the wind and after a further setback with a black card for full-back Kevin Maguire, Westmeath looked dead on their feet.
But the game turned on its head ten minutes from time when John Heslin robbed Wexford of possession and the ball eventually found its way to Martin who finished well to the net.
Westmeath followed that goal with five points on the spin to end any hopes of a Wexford comeback, to set up a Leinster semi-final with Meath in a fortnight.
Westmeath: D Quinn; K Daly, K Maguire, P Holloway; P Sharry (0-01), J Gilligan (0-01), J Dolan (0-01); G Egan (0-02), D Daly (0-01); R Foley, R Connellan, D Corroon; K Martin (1-02), J Heslin (0-05, 0-04f), S Dempsey (0-04).
Subs used: J Connellan (0-02) for R Connellan (33 mins BC), L Smyth for Foley (46), D Glennon (0-02) for D Daly (50), J Donohoe for Maguire (55 BC), D Lynch for Martin (69), F Boyle for Gilligan (71).
Wexford: S Roche; J Wadding (0-01), N Rossiter, M Furlong; A Flynn (0-02), S Donohoe, B Malone; S Byrne, C Kehoe (0-01); T Rossiter, B Brosnan (0-01, 0-01f), K Butler; E Nolan, C Lyng (0-08, 0-06f), K O'Grady (0-02).
Subs used: R Tierney for Furlong (33 mins), P Byrne for Kehoe (42 BC), J Tubritt for Nolan (48), M O'Regan for T Rossiter (52), G Molloy for Flynn (61),
Referee: Fergal Kelly (Longford).
