Without ever hitting any great heights, Westmeath maintained their 100% record in Division 3 of the Allianz Football League with a hard-earned 0-14 to 1-08 win against pointless Limerick in a scrappy game in Mullingar.
Cathal Downes opened the scoring for the visitors in the fourth minute, at which stage no Westmeath player had touched the ball. Ronan Wallace equalised before his opposite number Iain Corbett kicked Limerick in front in great style.
James Naughton doubled their lead at the end of a fine move, but Dessie Dolan's wind-assisted troops scored five unanswered points between the 17th and 30th minutes courtesy of Wallace (a fisted score, moments after Paul Maher illegally scored a 'goal' with his fist), Ray Connellan, Senan Baker (a free), and one each from the McCartan brothers, Sam and Danny.
However, Limerick had the deficit down to the bare minimum by the interval (0-06 to 0-05) with scores from goalkeeper Aaron O'Sullivan (a '45') and corner back Jim Liston in added-time (a fly-kicked effort which could easily have been a goal).
On the change of ends, Westmeath kicked three unanswered points by the 48th minute to open up what looked to be a comfortable four-point advantage, the scores coming from Nigel Harte, very influential sub Kieran Martin, and Danny McCartan (a free).
However, Limerick continued to plug away and they halved the gap with scores by Downes and Naughton (a free). In the 63rd minute, David Lynch missed an open goal for the Lake County, his close-range shot coming back off the crossbar when a three-pointer looked certain. All Star nominee Ronan O'Toole was more prominent in the closing quarter and he scored a fine point which was cancelled out by a Peter Nash free.
Further points from O'Toole (two - the second with his fist) and Martin (one) put Westmeath ahead by 0-13 to 0-08 with just one minute of normal time remaining. However, Jimmy Lee's charges came right back into contention when Downes scored a wonderful goal in the first minute of added time - a minute of four had been announced.
It needed veteran Martin to complete a hat-trick of quality points to settle Westmeath nerves and maintain their position of second behind Down on scoring difference.
Westmeath: J Daly; K Maguire, C Drumm, J Gonoud; S McCartan (0-01), RWallace (0-02), N Harte (0-01); R Connellan (0-01), A McCormack; DLynch, R O'Toole (0-03), E Mulvihill; R Forde, S Baker (0-01, free), D McCartan (0-02, 0-01 free).
Subs: K Martin (0-03) for Baker (42), S Smith for Forde (42), J Dolan for Mulvihill (55), C Dillon for D McCartan (64), S Allen for Harte (70).
Limerick: A O'Sullivan (0-01, '45'); J Liston (0-01), S O'Dea, P Maher;B Coleman, I Corbett (0-01), C McSweeney; T Childs, C Fahy; J Naughton(0-02, 0-01 free), C Downes (1-02), P Nash (0-01, free); J Baynham, RChilds, T Siochru.
Subs: T Griffin for Baynham (59), E Hurley for RChilds (67), S Costello for Maher (inj., 70+6).Ref: J Gilmartin (Sligo).
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