Full Time: Dublin 1-16 - 0-23 Meath
Dublin missed out on a 15th consecutive Leinster Championship final after a stunning first half display from Meath was enough to send them into the final.
The Royal County had a blistering start to this one, with Matthew Costello firing them ahead in the early stages.
Despite Dublin battling a heavy wind, much of the travelling support in blue and navy may have thought it was just a minor inconvenience for the Dubs. However, they were wrong.
Meath used the gusts to their advantage, with late addition to the starting XV James Conlon leading the charge.
The St. Colmcille’s man kicked for six in the opening half, only matched by fellow forward Eoghan Frayne.
Kickouts proved a challenge in the opening 35 minutes, with Stephen Cluxton struggling to find a sky blue shirt, largely in part due to the wind. At the other end, Dubin could muster just five points by half-time.
A trio of points for Con O’Callaghan, with two from open play, were interrupted by a point apiece from Colm Basquel and Paddy Small.
The chaotic conditions forced Dessie into an early change, with Alex Gavin replacing Conor Tyrell just past the half-hour mark. Despite the replacement, it couldn’t stop an in-form Meath side, who added on more before the klaxon sounded.
Needing an inspired second half to have any chance of making this year’s Leinster final, and O’Callaghan’s immediate two-pointer would have helped settle some nerves.
But Meath hung tough and continued to match whatever Dessie Farrell's side could throw at them. That was until a quickly taken free kick undid a lot of Meath's good work in the second half.
The move allowed Dublin to break past the Meath defence, with substitute Cormac Costello firing low to cut the lead down to just six points. He soon nearly added a second goal, only to be denied by Hogan in the Meath net.
Dublin continued to claw their way back into the game thanks to Paddy Small, Con O'Callaghan, and Colm Basquel, with the lead suddenly cut to just two points. Meath looked as though they could end their point duck through Frayne, but the forward clattered the post.
With just two minutes to go, Meath finally got some breathing room thanks to a well-taken point by Aaron Lynch. But the nerves were far from settled as the clock ticked towards 70 minutes. That was until free kick at the death marked Dublin's end to their Leinster Senior Championship title hopes, with the Royal County winning the game by four.
The win means Meath will face Louth in this year's decider, who earlier beat 1-18 - 0-18 to book their place.
Full Time: Dublin 1-16 - 0-23 Meath
Dublin: Stephen Cluxton (c), David Byrne, Theo Clancy, Conor Tyrell (30), Brian Howard, John Small (59), Tom Lahiff, Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne, Ciaran Kilkenny, Niall Scully (44), Lorcan O’Dell (58), Kevin Lahiff (35), Paddy Small, Con O’Callaghan, Colm Basquel
Substitutes: Evan Comerford, Cormac Costello (35), Nathan Doran, Alex Gavin (30), Davy Keogh, James Madden, Killian McGinnis (44), Eoghan O'Connor Flanagan, Brian O’Leary, Greg McEneaney (59), Ross McCarney (58)
Meath: Billy Hogan, Seamus Lavin, Seán Rafferty (61), Brian O’Halloran, Donal Keogan, Seán Coffey, Ciarán Caulfield, Adam O’Neill (58), Bryan Menton, Conor Duke (55), Ruairí Kinsella, Keith Curtis (50), Matthew Costello, James Conlon, Eoghan Frayne (c)
Substitutes: Seán Brennan, Seán Ryan, Ronan Ryan (61), Ronan Jones (55), Daithí McGowan, Cian McBride, James McEntee, Shane Walsh, Aaron Lynch (50), Eoin Harkin, Cathal Hickey (58)
Referee: Kieran Eannett (Tyrone)
Attendance: 10,126
