Joe Fortune said Westmeath's stunning comeback win over Wexford will count for nothing unless they back it up against Antrim next Sunday.
Westmeath came from 17 points down at Chadwicks Wexford Park to claim a remarkable 4-18 to 2-22 success that lifted them off the foot of the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship table, and victory over Antrim in their final group game on 28 May will secure their top-flight status.
The game looked done and dusted at half-time, with Wexford 2-15 to 0-05 in front, but Westmeath hit 1-04 without reply after the restart to give themselves hope before two late goals from substitute Niall Mitchell completed the most unlikely of comebacks.
"We were very honest with each other at half-time," Westmeath manager Fortune told RTÉ Sport. "We just told them it wasn't good enough.
"People take all the accolades as managers and coaches at times. That's not true, it has to come from your group and when they’re a strong unit and they believe, and they ask themselves the questions, that’s the most important thing.
"I'm just delighted for them as a group, as a county. It means an awful lot to them. They have never done it at this level. It’s a huge day for Westmeath hurling but it means nothing unless we go and get the job done next week.
"We need to beat Antrim in Cusack Park next Sunday, but you’ll remember days like this when you get the job done properly.
"It's about getting recovery done tomorrow, getting together as a group and then driving on again. A really enjoyable day today."
While delighted for the Westmeath players and supporters, Fortune also sympathised with his native Wexford, who are in danger of dropping into the Joe McDonagh Cup after their third defeat in four games.
"What a feeling for the Westmeath people but I’m conscious as well of the fact that this is where I’m from," said the Enniscorthy native.
"I know it’s going to hurt that Wexford dressing room but it did last year too [when they drew with Westmeath in the Leinster SHC] and it drove them on for the last game."
Fortune's counterpart Darragh Egan was critical of Wexford’s second-half collapse and admitted it is going to be a "massive challenge" to lift his players ahead of their final group fixture at home to Kilkenny next Sunday.
"It’s simple, we’re fighting for our lives," he said. "We knew that was the case before today, that we needed to get a win here and that Westmeath were going to be troublesome for us. They were troublesome for us in Mullingar last year, and we just didn’t perform in the second half, and for good stretches of the first half. While we scored well, we just didn’t perform.
"It's a huge game coming but we need to look within ourselves and see can we find anything, and go after Kilkenny next Sunday.
"How do I get them up for that game? That’s going to be a massive challenge. But again, the sight of the black and amber jerseys will hopefully tick a few boxes during the week.
"Ultimately we have to start looking at ourselves because what we showed throughout that game was just not good enough."
