Meath U20 footballer, Jack Kinlough.
EirGrid Leinster U-20 Football Championship, Round 2
Offaly 0-8 Kildare 1-4
Louth 3-14 Longford 2-12
Wicklow 3-11 Carlow 0-7
Laois 1-9 Wexford 0-9
Meath 0-18 Westmeath 2-5
By Paul Keane
Jamie Murphy led the scoring as Meath, All-Ireland minor football champions three years ago, got their EirGrid Leinster U-20 campaign off to a strong start.
The Royal County overcame Westmeath by 0-18 to 2-5 in Ashbourne to secure their quarter-final place after their opening game.
Meath still have to play Dublin in the three-team Group 3 but with Westmeath now beaten in back-to-back games the runners-up spot will be Meath's at least.
Free-taker Murphy fired six points at the Donaghmore/Ashbourne club grounds while Rian Stafford added four points.
Jack Kinlough, Killian Smyth and Hughie Corcoran, starters in Meath's 2021 minor final defeat of Tyrone, got on the scoresheet too along with current senior Brian O'Halloran.
Westmeath's Jack Duncan netted after just 18 seconds following a strong move from the throw-in but they didn't score again in the half as Meath led 0-11 to 1-0 at the interval.
Free-taker Brian Cooney got Westmeath going again with a series of third quarter points before Tadhg Baker netted a second goal in the 48th minute.
That left just five points between them but Meath finished strongest with points from Cian Commons, Corcoran, Stafford and Matthew Thornton.
Meanwhile, Offaly, beaten in Round 1 by Louth, bounced back with a significant 0-8 to 1-4 Group 1 defeat of Leinster and All-Ireland title holders Kildare.
Marcus Dalton fisted over the winning point in the 59th minute for hosts Offaly who led by 0-6 to 0-2 at half-time.
A Ross Harris Kildare goal in the 53rd minute hauled the Lilywhites right back and they drew level with two minutes of normal time remaining before Dalton settled it.
Louth were the big winners for the second week running, this time beating Longford by 3-14 to 2-12.
Two goals from Kieran McArdle, the second from a penalty, helped Fergal Reel's Louth to a 2-8 to 2-3 half-time lead and Liam Flynn added their third goal in the 54th minute.
In Group 2, Wicklow backed up their win over Wexford with a 3-11 to 0-7 victory over rivals Carlow, securing their quarter-final place.
Wicklow led 1-7 to 0-5 at half-time and powered to the 13-point win with two second-half goals.
Laois have recorded consecutive wins in the group also though had to work harder for their 1-9 to 0-9 triumph against Wexford
Cathal Lee registered the Laois goal in the 15th minute and further points from Lee, Adam Hunt and Jamie O'Brien propelled them to a 1-4 to 0-4 half-time lead.
Wexford enjoyed a strong third quarter and got back to level terms at 1-6 to 0-9 when Cathal Kehoe pointed in the 54th minute.
But they couldn't push ahead and Laois scores from Cormac Murphy and O'Brien sealed it for Laois.
