St Mullin's 0-09 Clonkill 4-09

Westmeath hurling champions Clonkill were complete masters over St Mullins of Carlow as they recorded a fully merited 4-9 to 0-9 victory in the Leinster club SHC quarter-final at Netwatch Cullen Park.

Two players dominated the Clonkill scoring - outstanding centre back Brendan Murtagh, who finished with 2-2, all from placed balls, and full-forward Niall Dowdall, who chipped with 2-01 out of play.

St Mullins started brightly and led 0-03 to 0-01 in the early stages. But the game changed once Clonkill were awarded a 12th-minute penalty for a foul on their left corner-forward Anthony Price by home goalie Kevin Kehoe, which earned the netminder a yellow card.

Brendan Murtagh hammered the penalty to net and went on to hit a second goal from a close-range free on 19 minutes.

St Mullins never showed the passion of their shock win over Mount Leinster Rangers in the Carlow final as the Lake County champions demonstrated a far greater level of skill and hunger.

A third Clonkill goal on 27 minutes from Niall Dowdall saw them lead 3-04 to 0-07 at half time and when the same player raised a fourth green flag, they were 4-06 to 0-07 ahead and out of sight.

From there on, Clonkill cruised to victory and a home provincial semi-final with Wexford's Oulart-The Ballagh.

St Mullins showed a lack of discipline, six players being yellow-carded before midfielder Jack Kavanagh was shown a second yellow on 54 minutes, to complete their misery.

Clonkill: G Healy; S Power, C Scally, J Fagan; L Folan, B Murtagh (2-02, 1-00 pen, 1-02 frees), A McGrath; P Dowdall (0-01), E Price; M Heffernan, A Price, P Walsh; A Dowdall (0-02, N Dowdall (2-01), A Price (0-02, 0-01 free).

Subs: D Egerton for Walsh (h/t), C Thompson (0-01) for P Dowdall (44), N Mitchell for N Dowdall (49), N Folan for Heffernan (56), M Keegan for E Price (56).

St Mullins: K Kehoe; P Doyle, J Doran, G Bennett; D Whelan, P Kehoe, G Coady; J Kavanagh, M Walsh; P Fortune, J Doyle (0-03, 0-01 free), M Kavanagh (0-06, 0-05 frees); J Walsh, J Murphy, P Kehoe.

Subs: P Connor for Fortune (37); J Murpjy for P Kehoe (l55); A Doyle for Whelan (58).

Referee: G McGrath (Dublin)