Westmeath gained their expected victory over Kilkenny in this one-sided O'Byrne Cup game at Ballinagore yesterday. The winners, who meet Leinster champions Offaly in the next round, were seldom really tested by an enthusiastic Kilkenny side.

The teams displayed a good knowledge of the proposed rule changes and, with the exception of a few problems with the fisted pass, adapted well to them.

John Maher opened the scoring with a point for Kilkenny in the third minute but Westmeath gradually gained control and they led by 0-3 to 0-1 before Michael O'Reilly scored the only goal of the game in the 15th minute.

Westmeath then kicked over eight unanswered points and led 1-12 to 0-2 at the break.

Any hopes of a Kilkenny revival were dashed in the opening nine minutes of the second half as Westmeath shot five points without reply.

Westmeath: D Ryan; D Brady, D Murphy, R Casey; S Hynes, J Murray, D Keane (0-1); J Cooney (0-3), P Conway; M Staunton (0-2), M Murtagh (0-5), G Heavin (0-6); E Casey (0-1), K Lyons (0-2), M O'Reilly (1-1). Subs: D Hughes for Conway, D Mitchell for Lyons, A Collins for Murphy, D Healy for Brady.

Kilkenny: E Mulrooney; N Purcell, N Morrissey, D Beirne; F Colclough, R Mullally, N Lacey; E Roche, P Brennan; J Young (0-1), J Lonergan, J Maher (0-3); P Leahy, L Dowling, S Morrissey. Subs: P Fewer for Colclough, R Stephenson for Leahy, F Frayne for Morrissey, R Minogue for Lonergan. Referees: P O'Toole and P Reilly (Longford).