Summerhill 2-22 Killoe 1-16
Meath clubs have typically struggled in the AIB Leinster club SFC but Summerhill could be about to change all of that.
A powerful Páirc Tailteann performance, which yielded scores from a dozen different players, suggested that David Clare's side have the potential to do something special this winter.
Jamie O'Shea top scored from wing-back for The 'Hill with 1-02, while inter-county captain Eoghan Frayne struck 0-05, though it was a strong collective display overall with midfielders Adam McDonnell and Adam Flanagan once again on top.
The two Adams scored 1-04 between them against the Longford champions with Flanagan registering Meath's second goal in the 46th minute to leave them all but home and hosed at that stage.
Hosts, and Meath champions, Summerhill took their time to get going and actually trailed by six points late in the first half as they navigated an energetic Killoe, as well as strong winds.
But Killoe's goal in the 26th minute seemed to flick a switch for Summerhill, as they outscored the underdogs by 2-15 to 0-06 from there on.
The challenge will increase significantly next Saturday week when the 1977 provincial winners travel to Newbridge to play star-studded Kildare champions Athy under lights.
Killoe collected a 15th Longford title last month, their seventh since 2012, and were keen to make their mark in Leinster after a few barren years.
Their last win in the competition came, ironically, against Navan O'Mahonys, the club based next door to Páirc Tailteann, back in 2015.
With the stiff wind behind them initially, they needed to capitalise and did reach the interval with a 1-11 to 1-10 lead - but would it be enough?
It felt like a four or a five-point wind, so Summerhill were probably the happier of the two camps at that stage.
Still, Killoe displayed enough attacking quality in the first half to suggest a belated provincial win could still be on the cards for them.
Paddy Moran clipped four first-half points and when Larry Moran netted in the 26th minute, Killoe were in a decent spot with a 1-10 to 0-07 lead.
The build-up to the goal underlined just how much pressure Killoe were applying in that period as Daniel Mimnagh and Ciaran Farrelly both had shots for points, before ex-Longford and AFL player Michael Quinn won possession next to the endline and played the ball across for Larry Moran.
Unfortunately for Killoe, it was a clear turning point in the game because they only scored six more points after that, with just two from open play.
Summerhill, meanwhile, responded with a 28th minute goal by defender O'Shea who, in truth, didn't know much about it when the ball deflected in off him after Frayne had contested a high ball in.
O'Shea closed out the first-half scoring with a point and suddenly there was just a point in it.
Kevin Ryan tied it up with a Summerhill point after the restart, 1-11 to 1-11, before Frayne knocked over a two-point free.
Goalkeeper Sean Muddiman added a point from a 45, and when Diarmuid McCabe pointed soon after for Summerhill, he punched the air in celebration, realising they'd seized back control, 1-15 to 1-11.
Killoe didn't offer much in return throughout the second half, as Summerhill locked down midfield and brought their superior conditioning and quality to bear in the tough conditions.
McDonnell played in the ball from the right wing for Flanagan to palm in their second goal in the 46th minute, opening a 2-15 to 1-12 lead at that stage.
A four-in-a-row of Summerhill points then from Conor Lyons, John Lavelle, Frayne and Liam Shaw left them well in the clear.
Summerhill: Sean Muddiman (0-02, 2 45); Iarla Hughes, Ronan Ryan, Ben Moran; Jack Bannon, Ross Ryan, Jamie O'Shea (1-02); Adam McDonnell (0-04, 1tp), Adam Flanagan (1-00); Diarmuid McCabe (0-02), Kevin Ryan (0-01), David Larkin (0-01); Conor Frayne (0-01), Eoghan Frayne (0-05, 1tpf, 1f), Liam Shaw (0-02).
Subs: Padhraig Geraghty for Bannon 43, Conor Lyons (0-01) for O'Shea 48, John Lavelle (0-01) for Hughes 48, Barry Dardis for Conor Frayne 55, Kevin Lyons for Larkin 57.
Killoe Young Emmets: Michael Hughes (0-02, tpf); Liam Hughes, Darren Moffett, Ryan Moffett; James Moran (0-02), Niall Farrelly, Gavin Farrelly; Michael Quinn, Ronan Keogh; Paddy Kiernan (0-02, tp), Daniel Mimnagh, Cian Farrelly (0-01); Larry Moran (1-00), Paddy Moran (0-07, 5f), Mark Hughes (0-01).
Subs: Ronan McGoldrick (0-01) for Larry Moran 47', Cian Dooner for Kiernan 50', Evan Farrelly for Cian Farrelly 55', Gavin Hughes for Keogh 56'.
Referee: Alan Coyne.
