The effects of the GAA calendar and a defeat to Sligo put a taint on Westmeath's promotion to Division 2 as an out of contention Yeats County took the positive of extra time to prepare for their provincial championship opener.
Dessie Dolan’s side needed a positive result in the Yeats County or a Down win over Clare to ensure they go up and while they were not at the right level in Markievicz Park, enough went their way on the day.
Sligo were already out of the mix, yet emerged 1-14 to 0-11 with their best performance of the league in finishing mid-table.
Westmeath travel to Croke Park looking to lift the Division 3 trophy while also wary Wicklow are waiting in the wings a week later.
Speaking to RTÉ Sport, Dolan said: "I'm disappointed obviously with the result today but overall I suppose the aim at the start of the year was to get promotion and we got promotion.
"That's really important for Westmeath football to progress the side and progress the young players coming through for the future.
"We’d be disappointed with the performance today and we know playing in Croke Park next week we'll obviously have to improve.
"Down have been a very difficult team for us over the years but they've been performing very well in the National League this year as well so we know it'll be difficult but we look forward to the opportunity going to Croke Park."
Jamie Gonoud and John Heslin were back in the panel for Westmeath with a number of players on the treatment table for the Leinster side throughout the initial league campaign.
They will be sure to see action in Croke Park ahead of the Leinster opener.
Dolan added: "We’re hoping to get more lads back but the schedule is very difficult. Jason Sherlock is on our bus, I’m not sure he has done five weekends in a row possibly and that's what Westmeath could face.
"It seems very difficult but the reality is we'll deal with it and we'll get on with it but this schedule is very difficult in terms of getting lads back from injury.
"We've seen it throughout the year that we just don't have enough time to get them back onto the pitch. The preliminary championship against Wicklow is the following week as well so it's it is hectic."
In contrast Sligo manager Tony McEntee is happy that he can sit back and watch Leitrim compete in a Division 4 final next week as a consolation for not being in the mix to go up to Division 2.
He explained: "I’m very pleased with the match today. We put in a super display of good attacking football and put plenty of pressure on that Westmeath team.
"I think it's a performance that we can finish the league off and be very pleased with it.
"We wanted to keep mixing between the running game and the passing game and really then it was to try and manage out the last 10 or 15 minutes so that we weren't sitting back soaking up pressure that we were continuing to bring the game to Westmeath.
"I think we brought the game to Westmeath for the full of the 70 minutes."
McEntree confirmed the game against Leitrim will be played in Dr Hyde Park
"It's a game we're very much looking forward to. Leitrim have a game next week in the league final. They play Laois in the league final so it gives us an opportunity to look at them and reflect on them.
"But really what we have now is two weeks to sit back and plan and recover from the league and look forward to a good championship."
