Brendan O Leary and Maurice O Connor, Kerry, and Joe Keena and Cormac Reilly, Meath during the Leinster SHC Round Robin clash at Pairc Tailteann.
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round Robin
MEATH 3-20 KERRY 2-17
By Paul Keane at Pairc Tailteann, Navan
Cathal McCabe's last gasp goal capped a thrilling win for Meath who returned to the Leinster SHC with a bang following a 13-year gap.
The Christy Ring Cup title holders hadn't featured in their provincial championship since 2004 and looked set for a big win with a nine-point lead after 57 minutes.
But Kerry, who operated in Division 1B of the Allianz league, two tiers higher than Meath who won Division 2B, came roaring back to within three of the Royal County in Navan.
Mikey Boyle reduced the deficit to that margin with an injury time Kerry goal and went close with two more goal chances as the Kingdom threw everything at it.
Meath held out though, thanks largely to the excellence of goalkeeper Shane McGann, and sealed a slightly flattering six-point win with McCabe's goal at the death.
Sean Quigley finished with 1-3 for Meath while substitute Kevin Keena, brother of influential sweeper Joey, also hit the net.
Meath host Laois next Sunday in Navan again and a win will leave them in pole position to qualify for a Leinster quarter-final place.
As for Kerry, they simply must win on their travels against Westmeath next weekend.
Meath's previous game in the Leinster championship was a double scores defeat to Laois way back in May of 2004.
They were back in the competition for all of 14 seconds when they received a hammer blow in the form of a Kerry goal.
Kingdom top scorer Shane Nolan grabbed it after a neat turn and burst of pace down the left that exposed full-back Damien Healy.
It transpired that Healy was carrying a hamstring injury into the game and he limped off after just 13 minutes.
Nolan added a point for Kerry to put them 1-1 to 0-2 up, but they were unable to build on that great start.
Adam Gannon scored Meath's third point before they pilfered a fortunate Quigley goal direct from a line-ball to move 1-3 to 1-2 ahead.
Gavin McGowan in action at Pairc Tailteann, Navan.
The sides were level twice after that before Meath pulled away to take a 1-10 to 1-7 lead into the interval.
Quigley finished the half with 1-2 and there were braces of points from Adam Gannon and veteran Steven Clynch.
Meath showed no sign of any inferiority complex despite spending spring in the lower tier and should have had a second goal but James Kelly hit the side-netting.
Ennis' charges pulled clear in the third quarter with three more points from Clynch before Keena's 49th minute goal.
He latched onto a long ball and found space to shoot a low shot to the Kerry net, moving Meath 2-15 to 1-10 clear.
They were nine up with just 13 minutes remaining, but a four-in-a-row of Kerry points began their fight-back.
They had the margin down to just three points at 2-20 to 2-17 when Boyle poked a 71st minute goal.
But Meath held out against the onslaught and pilfered a third goal from McCabe at the death to the delight of their fans.
**Scorers for Meath: **Steven Clynch 0-7 (6fs), Sean Quigley 1-3 (1-0 s/l), Kevin Keena 1-0, Cathal McCabe 1-0, Adam Gannon 0-3, Mark O'Sullivan 0-2, Anthony Forde 0-1, Keith Keogan 0-1, Daragh Kelly 0-1, Gavin McGowan 0-1, Neil Heffernan 0-1.
Scorers for Kerry: Shane Nolan 1-9 (6fs), Mikey Boyle 1-1, Michael O'Leary 0-2, Jordan Conway 0-1, Philip Lucid 0-1, Bryan Murphy 0-1, Maurice O'Connor 0-1, Jack Goulding 0-1.
MEATH: Shane McGann; Cormac Reilly, Damian Healy, Shane Whitty; Keith Keogan, Daragh Kelly, Shane Brennan; Anthony Forde, Joe Keena; Sean Quigley, Steven Clynch, James Kelly; Gavin McGowan, Mark O'Sullivan, Adam Gannon.
Subs: Sean Geraghty for Healy (13), Kevin Keena for Kelly (45), Neil Heffernan for Quigley (55), Cathal McCabe for McGowan (63), Padraig Kelly for Gannon (69).
KERRY: Aiden McCabe; Tom Murnane, Rory Horgan, Sean Weir; John Buckley, Bryan Murphy, Darren Dineen; Tommy Casey, Paudie O'Connor; Mikey Boyle, Patrick Kelly, Keith Carmody; Philip Lucid, Shane Nolan, Jordan Conway.
**Subs: **Michael O'Leary for Kelly (35+1), Jack Goulding for Casey (h/t), Maurice O'Connor for Carmody (47), Brendan O'Leary for Lucid (55), Colm Harty for Conway (67).
REFEREE: S Cleere (Kilkenny).
