A point each from Daithi McGown and Donal Lenihan in second half stoppage time helped Meath finish top Group 2 of the Tailteann Cup, as they edged Down to secure a home quarter final.

It was added time in both halves that saw Meath grab late scores, they led by a point at the break as Matthew Costello pointed in added time, then the two late scores saw them over the line as a draw was enough for Down.

They will rue some missed chances but that late surge showed they have composure and failed to let the heads drop too much, pushing on and now they have the tickets booked for Pairc Tailteann and a quarter final.

After a tight start between the two, Meath registered the first score three minutes in, with Jack O’Connor cutting through to pop over from play. Down responded and were level two minutes later as Pat Havern pointed a free, Liam Kerr added two more points, to give them the lead after nine minutes.

Less than 60 seconds later, the referee awarded Meath a penalty having spotted a foul by a Down man, it looked like Aaron Lynch had been fouled and up stepped Jordan Morris, the left footed effort rippling the back of the Down net, Meath ahead by a single point.

Scores were hard to come by in the end, ten minutes after Morris hit the net, Meath would add two points to extend their lead, James McEntee popping over a score after the Royals dispossessed a Down kick out, then Morris followed with another from play over the blackspot.

Down almost hit back in emphatic circumstances as they had the ball in the net, but the referee brought play back and awarded Down a free in, the Ulster side not happy by the decision, but Havern converted to make it 1-3 to 0-4 after 26 minutes. 

Havern made it a one point game almost immediately after that score, but again it was hard for the teams to get scores, Niall Keane came up from the Down net to land a 45 to put Down level just before the break, but Matthew Costello called a mark in added time, he hit the resulting free with precision, as Meath went into the break a point ahead, 1-4 to 0-6.

Straight from the restart Down drew level once again, Daniel Guinness coming up from the back, but Meath did not take long to get their account going in the second half, McEntee adding his second point of the afternoon, a very difficult angle but the Meath forward made no mistake.

The game was turned on its head two minutes later as Down found the back of the net, a blistering run sent down bearing down on goal, Meath unable to contain their attack, in the finish midfielder Odhran Murdock sent the ball into the back of the net, 1-7 to 1-5 with 43 minutes played.

Morris and Jack Flynn appointed either side of Havern converting his fourth free of the afternoon, a one point margin between the sides with 52 minutes gone, an exciting start to the second half.

Meath with 55 minutes gone should have levelled the game or even found the net, they had a gift of a chance in front of the Down goal but squandered it, a shot was saved on the line by a Down defender, despite a point being an option they failed to take the chance.

But they were far from done Daithi McGown was sprung from the bench and levelled the game with a free, before Morris added a beauty off his left to put Meath ahead once again, frees were punishing them as Havern looked composed, he pointed his fifth with six minutes of time left.

Kane almost put Down ahead late on with a free but it dragged wide, Meath were not satisfied with a draw as they needed a win to top the group, they pushed on late and Cathal Hickey almost found the net but his shot was saved.

It went out for a 45 and McGowan stepped up and slotted over with plenty of extra distance seeing the ball fly over the blackspot to give Meath the lead, it was a nervy end as Down went for a score, but Donal Lenihan converted a free dep in added time to seal the win.