A superbly-struck injury-time point from full-back Lee Cullen helped Fermanagh take a big step towards promotion in a thrilling affair at Ederney.
It was a deserved victory for the home side, but once again, they gave their fans palpitations by missing three great goal chances in the first half and conceded two goals in the space of 60 seconds with ten minutes to go.
Leading by 0-13 to 0-06, Fermanagh seemed to be cruising but two well-executed goals by Westmeath full-back Kevin Maguire and corner-forward David Lynch - who pounced on a ball that came off the post - made it a one-point game.
Westmeath had the momentum but, to their credit, Fermanagh hit back with the score of the match - a huge soaring point from the outstanding Ultan Kelm.
There were five agonising minutes of injury-time as Westmeath's Ronan Wallace replied to Cullen's clincher.
The Midlanders had one last chance but it went wide as Fermanagh held on for their third one-point victory.
The home side had a whirlwind start and Darragh McGurn swept over a soaring point after just ten seconds, but a physically powerful Westmeath hit back with a pointed free from marksman John Heslin.
Ronan Wallace put Westmeath in front before Ryan Lyon levelled from a pointed free in the fifth minute.
Despite playing into the breeze, Westmeath had most of the possession, but Fermanagh missed the first of three good goal chances in the 11th minute.
Speed machine Kelm tore through the Westmeath defence and could have gone for his own goal but squared the ball to McGurn, whose point-blank shot was somehow scrambled clear.
Three minutes later they opened the Westmeath defence again, but Josh Largo Ellis’s screaming shot cannoned off the crossbar and another let-off for Westmeath.
Fermanagh had an even better chance of a goal after Cian McManus put them into a 0-05 to 0-03 lead. Luke Flanagan hared through and found McGurn on the edge of the square but the full-forward somehow failed to find the net with Westmeath defender James Dolan getting a final touch.
Aidan Breen landed the resultant '45 as the Ernesiders finished the half strongly. Kelm struck a fine long-range point with O’Toole replying for Westmeath.
McGurn finished the half when he converted a free as the home side led by 0-09 to 0-04 at the break.
Westmeath had the breeze in the second half, but it was the home side who asserted themselves and they increased the lead through early points from Lyons and McGurn.
Man of the match Kelm was also on target to put the home side into an apparently unassailable lead of 0-13 to 0-06.
But those two quick-fire Westmeath goals turned this match on their head.
Leaking goals has been a weakness of the Ernesiders but they have also shown character in buckets as well all season.
And, if other results do not go their way it could be a real dogfight to see who advances to Division Two in the final match against a Cavan side who surprisingly lost to Antrim.
Fermanagh: Sean McNally; Lee Cullen (0-1) Che Cullen (0-2) Luke Flanagan; Jonathan Cassidy, Shane McGullion (0-1) Cian McManus (0-1); Ryan Jones, Brandon Horan; Josh Largo Ellis, Ryan Lyons (0-4,f) Ronan McCaffrey; Ultan Kelm (0-3) Darragh McGurn (0-2) Aidan Breen (0-1)
Subs: Conor McGee for Aidan Breen (44) Ciaran Corrigan for Darragh McGurn (66), Garvan Jones for Ryan Lyons (69), Sean Quigley for Ciaran Corrigan (73),
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Daniel Scahill, Kevin Maguire (1-0), Nigel Harte; James Dolan, Ronan Wallace (0-2), Sam McCartan; Sam Duncan, Ray Connellan; 3enan Baker, Ronan O’Toole (0-21m), Conor McCormack; Luke Loughlin (0-1) John Heslin (0-3f), David Lynch (1-0).
Subs: Kevin Martin for Sam Duncan (40), Tom Molloy for Senan Baker (48) Lorcan Dolan for Luke Loughlin (57),, Conor Dillon for Sam McCartan (65)
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath).
