The Royal County won the game by 15 points as Kerry failed to get out of the starting blocks while Meath began and finished with all guns blazing.

O’Cinneide got the Kingdom’s first score from a free on two minutes and Ollie Murphy levelled the sides with one from play.

Mike Frank Russell responded for Kerry but Meath then unleashed an onslaught through a point from Richie Kealy and another two from Ollie Murphy.

Half-back Mike Hassett was replaced by Tommy Griffin and then supersub Maurice Fitzgerald came on for the injured Tom O’Sullivan as manager Paidi O’Se rang in the changes early on.

Crucially Kerry’s defence were troubled by the Meath full forwards - Graham Geraghty causing trouble for player of the year Seamus Moynihan and Ollie Murphy taking on Mike McCarthy and winning - and it all culminated in a goal for veteran John McDermott in the 34th minute.

Kerry responded well and scored two from play in injury time to give the half time score - 1-06 to 0-04 more respect - through Crowley and Brosnan but it just proved to be damage limitation for what was to come.

On the resumption Meath continued their destruction of the champions with points from Magee and Enda Kelly.

Even the half-backs were now getting in on the act as Nigel Nestor and Hank Traynor stepped up to take their points.

Graham Geraghty and Trevor Giles put the Royal Country further into the lead and by the 50th minute all six of Meath’s forwards had scored from play - while Kerry had yet to get off the mark in the second half.

Magee put over a free to send Meath 12 points ahead and while Kerry had their chances the Meath full back line was as good as the forwards in keeping Johnny Crowley and Mike Frank Russell silent in attack.

With 10 minutes to go the Kerry fans began to leave Croke Park in throngs and the Kingdom got off the mark with a point from Declan Quill.

Meath substituted Ray Magee with six minutes to go and brought on John Cullinane, who with his first touch of the ball, beat Declan O’Keeffe to score Meath’s second goal of the day.

To add insult to injury Kerry were reduced to 14 men in the last minute when Eamon Fitzmaurice was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Meath fully deserved their victory - their scores accurate and clinical compared to a Kerry side who looked sluggish in defence and going forward and whose wides tally will have to be looked at by manager Paidi O’Se, who seems certain to contemplate his future with the Munster champions.