Antrim beat Westmeath 3-18 to 2-13 in Mullingar in the Leinster Senior Hurling championship preliminary round.

Niall O' Brien and Tommy Doyle got the Westmeath goals while Neil McManus got two and Conor Carson one for the Saffrons.

However both sides finished with 14 men after Karl Stewart and Derek McNicholas were each shown a red card.

Antrim go on to play Laois in the first round on May 18th.

©INPHO/Morgan Treacy