Jonathan Lynam was the two-goal hero as Westmeath heaped yet more final misery on Down by capturing the Allianz League Division 3 title.
Down haven't won a final in either the league or Championship at Croke Park since 1994 and will be frustrated that they didn't end that barren spell as they led approaching the hour mark.
But Lynam's second goal and a tour de force from Man of the Match Sam McCartan added up to a significant win for Des Dolan's side who finished with gusto.
McCartan played a key role in that second goal for Lynam and then converted two 45s to make sure that Westmeath took the silverware.
It was an impressive late surge from Westmeath who bounced back from last weekend's surprise Round 7 defeat to Sligo.
They will be back in action next weekend and if they beat Wicklow in the opening round of the Leinster SFC will play for a fifth consecutive weekend after that.
It's more disappointment for Down who suffered a similar feeling to last year when they were beaten by Meath in the Tailteann Cup final.
Conor Laverty's side will seek to bounce back when they play Antrim in the Ulster SFC in Newry on April 13.
Jersey numbers meant little to the Division 3 table toppers who had Odhran Murdock, wearing number nine, contesting the throw-in before immediately moving to the full-forward position where he remained for the first-half and was marked by Charlie Drumm.
Pat Havern, with number 14 on his back, contested both throw-ins next to Murdock and stayed mostly in the middle third while number 13 Danny Magill, named on last year's Tailteann Cup Team of the Year at left half-back, started in the half-back line.
Down ultimately sought to defend in numbers and to capitalise on their pace by hitting Westmeath hard on the break though it took a while for them to impose themselves.
The scores were tied at 0-03 apiece after 20 minutes and it wasn't until the second quarter that the game began to open up, mostly in Down's favour.
Down added five more points before the break with free-taker Havern accounting for four of those.
Westmeath, who withdrew captain Kevin Maguire from their lineup, briefly took the lead in the 28th minute when Lynam punched to the net, 1-03 to 0-05.
Luke Loughlin lofted in a high ball off his weaker right foot and Lynam, named earlier this week in the Sigerson Cup Team of the Year, beat goalkeeper John O'Hare in an aerial contest on the goal line.
Loughlin added another point from a free closer to half-time but Westmeath didn't score from play again until the 50th minute while Down finished the half stronger with three Havern points in a row from placed balls.
That left Down with a 0-08 to 1-04 half-time lead and the narrow gap surprised few considering the teams drew following a similar arm wrestle in Mullingar on St Patrick's Day.
The third quarter was a frustrating affair for the 12,148 who made the trip to Croke Park.
One passage of play summed up how tense things had become; Westmeath camped in their own half in the 46th minute and forced to go backwards after winning a turnover because they had no-one in the attacking half.
Ex-AFL man Ray Connellan introduced some quality with a brilliant 50th-minute catch at midfield before playing in Westmeath colleague Conor Dillon for the levelling point, 1-06 to 0-09.
They were level again before Oisin Savage nudged Down one up with a 57th minute point.
The 2010 All-Ireland finalists couldn't kick on though as Westmeath turned up the heat and finished strongest to win it.
Lynam nailed his second goal on the hour mark after a clever break into the danger zone and lay-off by McCartan who then swung over two points from 45s.
Westmeath: Jason Daly; Daniel Scahill, Charlie Drumm, Jamie Gonoud; Sam McCartan (0-04, 2 '45), James Dolan, David Lynch (0-01); Ray Connellan, Jonathan Lynam (2-00); Andy McCormack, Ronan O'Toole, Conor Dillon (0-01); Luke Loughlin (0-01f), Stephen Smith, Robbie Forde (0-03, 0-01f).
Subs: Senan Baker for Smith 45, Lorcan Dolan for Loughlin 50, Matthew Whittaker for Dillon 54, Nigel Harte for Gonoud 60, John Heslin for Forde 71.
Down: John O'Hare; Ryan McEvoy, Peter Fegan, Pierce Laverty; Finn McElroy, Danny Magill, Ceilum Doherty; Pat Havern (0-07f), Johnny Flynn; Miceal Rooney (0-01), Liam Kerr (0-03), Daniel Guinness; James Guinness, Odhran Murdock (0-01), John McGovern.
Subs: Oisin Savage (0-01) for McGovern 39, Shane Annett for James Guinness 44, Conor Francis for McElroy 54, Barry O'Hagan for Rooney 61, Rory Mason for Flynn 66.
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).
