Sligo's drop to the Allianz Football League's fourth tier for 2020 was confirmed as Westmeath kept their hopes of promotion alive with an eight-point win at Collooney's Connolly Park.
Second-half goals from John Heslin and Ger Egan, the latter's score coming from a converted penalty, set up Westmeath's third win of the campaign.
Luke Loughlin, who bagged four points from play, was Westmeath's most impressive attacker.
Dogged Sligo, who came into this game on the back of a miserable run of four successive losses, made a game of it in the first-half in front of their home fans. But once Westmeath netted twice it was game over for the men in white.
At what is Sligo's temporary home – their main venue, Sligo town's Markievicz Park isn't available until the Connacht Senior Championship due to work on the pitch – Paul Taylor's charges started well.
Niall Murphy's pointed free after seven minutes put the hosts in front but this was their only time to lead.
Westmeath took over and kicked four unanswered points – the best of these from Luke Loughlin and Ronan O'Toole – to lead 0-4 to 0-1 by the 15th minute.
Sligo, however, responded with three scores on the trot to made it 0-4 each with 24 minutes played. Liam Gaughan's point to level matters was a gem.
Westmeath regained the lead with another nice score from Luke Loughlin and although it was tit-for-tat from then until half-time, with Westmeath leading by no more than two points, the Leinster county merited their 0-9 to 0-7 interval lead.
The winners extended their advantage to three points, 0-10 to 0-7, two minutes after the restart when Luke Loughlin popped over a point from close-range after Egan's ball into the Sligo goalmouth was blocked.
Westmeath's opening goal in the 48th minute – Heslin flicked the ball to the net after Luke Loughlin's superb run and unselfish pass – was the turning point.
Ten minutes later Sligo's misery increased when Egan netted from a spot-kick after a foul on Jamie Gonoud.
Westmeath scored their third goal in time added on when substitute Noel O'Reilly got on the end of a slick move.
There was still time for Sligo to grab a consolation goal when veteran attacker Adrian Marren scored with a smart shot after getting a pass from substitute Barry Gorman.
Sligo: Aidan Devaney; Mikey Gordon, Peter Laffey, John Francis Carr; Darragh Cummins, Adrian McIntyre, Nathan Mullen; Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch, Paul Kilcoyne (0-01); Karl McKenna, Sean Carrabine, Neil Ewing (0-01); Liam Gaughan (0-01), Pat Hughes (0-02), Niall Murphy (c) (0-04, 4f)
Subs: Barry Gorman for Liam Gaughan, 53; Patrick O'Connor (0-01) for Karl McKenna, 53; Adrian Marren (1-00) for Niall Murphy, 65; Eoin McHugh for Darragh Cummins, 67; Cathal Henry for Paul Kilcoyne, 67
Westmeath: Eoin Carberry, Killian Daly, Ronan Wallace, Boidu Sayeh, Kevin Maguire, Frank Boyle, James Dolan, Sam Duncan (0-02), Denis Corroon, Luke Loughlin (0-04), John Heslin (1-00), Jamie Gonoud, Ronan O'Toole (0-02), Kieran Martin (c), Ger Egan (1-04, 1-0 pen, 4f)
Subs: Tommy McDaniel for Kieran Martin, 64; Finbar Coyne for Ger Egan, 68; Noel O'Reilly (1-00) for Jamie Gonoud, 70; Conor Slevin for Frank Boyle, 70; Noel Mulligan for Denis Corroon, 70+3
Referee: Sean Laverty (Antrim)
