The result means Luke Dempsey's side are almost certain to make a quick return to Division Two, while the Red Hands are ready to grab tyhe last four place cruelly snatched away from them by Foot and Mouth Disease last season.

But Tyrone will be concerned that after holding their opponents scoreless in the first half, and building up a massive 18 points lead, they showed defensive frailty in the closing stages, when they condeded 2-6 in the final quarter.

Tyrone ran riot in the opening eight minutes, during which they built up a seven points lead, cutting through the Westmeath defence with alarming ease.

Quickfire points from Kevin Hughes, Brian McGuigan, Peter Canavan and Stephen O'Neill set the secene.

And when Canavan gathered a free kick from Gerard Cavlan, slipped the ball quickly to O'Neill, who drilled a low angled shot past Aidan Lennon, the Leinster side were in deep trouble.

They managed to weather the storm, but failed to make any attacking impact, two Brian Morley wides and a Martin Flanagasgn effort blocked by Conor Gormley the closest they came to scoring.

O'Neill and Canavan tagged on points, defender Declan McCrossan cruised through for an excellent score, and O'Neill converted a '45' to open up a 1-8 to 0-0 interval lead.

The big Plunkett Park crowd lapped up some delightful Tyrone football after the break, and in particular some Peter Canavan magic.

He hit a couple of delightful points, and played a key role in a wonderful move which produced a brilliant goal.

Stephen O'Neill and Brian McGuigan made the running, and Canavan, twice involved in the play, slipped the ball instinctively to Kevin Hughes, who finished to an empty net.

But the Division 1A leaders were caught napping five minutes later when JP Casey sent substitute Alan Mangan through for a Westmeath goal.

But Tyrone were already in the comfort zone, and their supporters gave a huge cheer to Canavan when he was substituted 15 minutes from the end.

His contribution had been immense, the creator of both goals had also chipped in with six excellent points, five of them from play.

But a rash of substitutions unsettled Tyrone and JP Casey and Rory O'Connell hit the target to lead Westmeath's revival.

Martin Flanagan got in for a second goal, Casey and David O'Shaughnessy tagged on further points, but having gone 18 points behind at one stage, the Leinster side would never scale this particular Pomeroy mountain.