Armagh avoided the drop down to Division Three as goals in either half from Steven McDonnell saw them to a vital 2-10 to 0-12 win over Westmeath at Crossmaglen.
Westmeath were well in touch at the break with only a 1-06 to 0-06 deficit to overcome. Fergal Wilson hit four first half frees for the visitors.
McDonnell had looped his first goal in over Gary Connaughton’s head for an early 1-01 to 0-03 lead for Armagh.
Points from Dessie Dolan, Wilson and Denis Glennon levelled the tie at 1-06 to 0-09 but a late over from Aaron Kernan and McDonnell’s injury-time goal handed the spoils to Joe Kernans side.
Armagh had the early pressure, backed by the wind, and failed to make the most of two early goal-scoring opportunities when McDonnell and Paddy McKeever both missed the target from close range.
A Wilson free was followed by a McDonnell point in the seventh minute and Westmeath goalkeeper Gary Connaughton did well to block away another goal shot from John Lavery.
But the Orchard County did eventually get the ball past Connaughton's big frame and three successive points from goal scorer McDonnell, Aaron Kernan and McKeever pushed the hosts into a 1-4 to 0-3 lead.
An injury to Ciaran Toner led to the introduction of Oisin McConville, just a week after he captained Crossmaglen to the All-Ireland Club football title, and the experienced forward powered over a point with his first shot in anger, with Westmeath living off scores from Dolan, Wilson and John Connellan.
Dolan, with a monster free from 60m out, Wilson and Glennon got the midlanders briefly back on terms before a McDonnell free put Armagh ahead again, with just 12 minutes remaining.
A draw was not good enough for Armagh to qualify for Division Two but they did get the win they required when Kernan cracked over a point from 35m out and an error from Connaughton, who dropped a long ball in from McDonnell, handed Armagh's their clinching second goal.
The win preserved Armagh's incredible league record against Westmeath over the past 30 years - they now have ten wins in ten encounters with the men from the Lake County.
