Carlow net minder Kevin Kehoe misjudged a long ball in from substitute Derek McNicholas for the first Westmeath goal. McNicholas added another and then Keogh deflected an Andrew Mitchell effort into his net, leaving Carlow 3-05 to 0-04 behind at half-time.

Craig Doyle netted as the hosts battled back, but an error from Kehoe’s replacement Nicky Roberts led to the clinching goal from Westmeath captain Brian Smyth.

This was a vital win for Smyth and his team-mates as they lost all seven of their matches in the Allianz Hurling League, including a a 2-15 to 1-14 defeat to Carlow at this venue last month.

Brian Hanley's side had a strong wind at their backs in the first half and made immediate headway. Ruairi Dunbar, the most potent of Carlow's forwards, opened the scoring in the fourth minute but the visitors were soon dominating.

They made the most of the wind advantage as midfielder Smyth grabbed a brace of points, Brendan Murtagh struck two frees and in between Kehoe, who must have lost sight of the ball in the sun, allowed McNicholas' delivery to drop into the net.

Kehoe did redeem himself with a very good save soon after, and Carlow reduced that 1-04 to 0-01 deficit with three points in-a-row from the effective Dunbar. However, his good work was undone when McNicholas gathered a through ball from Philip Gilsenan and smacked home his second goal.

A point from John Shaw was then followed by the visitors' third goal - this time defender Andrew Mitchell tried to point a free from distance but in his attempt to bat the ball away from his goal, Kehoe knocked it over his line.

The concession of 2-01 in the closing three minutes of the half was hugely deflating for Carlow. Yet, the Barrowsiders managed to compose themselves during the break and come out firing in the second half.

Dunbar picked off some precises scores and Eddie Byrne also found his range. Free-takers Dunbar and Murtagh were going point for point until Doyle registered Carlow's only goal in the 65th minute, drawing his side ever nearer at 3-08 to 1-11.

But just when it looked like Kevin Ryan's men might pull off a stunning comeback, their substitute goalkeeper Nicky Roberts dropped a ball and the well-placed Smyth needed no second invitation to hammer home the Lakesiders' fourth and final goal.

There was still time for Carlow midfielder Jack Kavanagh to be sent-off in injury-time which ended their hopes of a late rally. Westmeath, for whom Alan McGrath and Shaw were particularly impressive, move on to meet Galway in a Leinster SHC quarter-final at Mullingar on Saturday, June 4.