Westmeath and Down remain unbeaten at the top of Division 3 after a pulsating game in Mullingar ended in a draw, an eminently fair result on the day.
Defences were on top in the first half and scores were at a premium. Jonathan Lynam opened the scoring in the ninth minute when he was teed up by All Star nominee Ronan O'Toole.
They doubled their advantage some five minutes later when a Luke Loughlin free dropped short and Robbie Forde, who had replaced the injured Danny McCartan in the fifth minute, scored an opportunist point.
The wasteful Mourne County men belatedly opened their account in the 18th minute when Pat Havern slotted over a routine free.
A quickfire brace from the boots of James Guinness and Danny Magill had Conor Laverty’s charges ahead for the first time, but James Dolan rounded off a rare flowing move to equalize on the half-hour mark.
Down regained the lead in added time when Havern pointed from play to put his side ahead by 0-04 to 0-03 at the interval.
Havern and Forde traded early points on the change of ends, but Down pounced for what looked like a decisive goal in the 43rd minute when Daniel Guinness rifled the ball to the net from 20 metres following a counter-attack.
However, Dessie Dolan’s troops responded in fine style with unanswered points from O’Toole and a free each by Forde and Loughlin (above).
It was nip and tuck from there on, but the visitors looked the more likely winners when they led by 1-09 to 0-10 with an hour elapsed.
However, the home team again struck for a hat-trick of points without reply, the best of them from Loughlin in the 68th minute.
Ryan McEvoy surged forward to level the contest and Down had the better chances to sneak the two points in added-time, but the Westmeath defence held firm.
It is still all to play for next Sunday when Down host Clare - the only other team in contention for promotion - while Westmeath travel to Sligo.
Down: J O’Hare; P Fegan, R McEvoy (0-01), C Doherty (0-01); M Rooney, P Laverty, D Guinness (1-00); N McParland, C Mooney; D Magill (0-01), L Kerr, R Johnston (0-01); O Murdoch (0-01), P Havern (0-04, 0-03f), J Guinness (0-01).
Subs: J Flynn for McParland (h-t), A Gilmore for Mooney (inj., 42), S Annett for J Guinness (46), C Francis for D Magill (58), R Mason for Johnston (69).
Westmeath: J Daly; D Scahill, K Maguire, J Dolan (0-01); A McCormack, D Lynch, N Harte; R Connellan (0-01), J Lynam (0-01); K Martin (0-01), R O’Toole (0-01), S McCartan; C Dillon, L Loughlin (0-03, 0-02f), D McCartan.
Subs: R Forde (0-04, 0-02f) for D McCartan (inj., 5), M Whittaker (0-01) for Lynam (h-t), E Mulvihill for Dillon (50), S Smith for Martin (64), S Allen for Harte (70).
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).
