Meath will need to improve if they are to challenge provincial kingpins Dublin in the Leinster SFC decider next weekend, manager Andy McEntee has said.
The Royal's overcame a slow start, and a six-point half-time deficit, to ultimately enjoy a nine-point win over Kildare.
Meath were red-hot in the second half as they scored five goals en route to their win.
Combined with the seven goals they put past Wicklow in the Leinster quarter-final last weekend, it means McEntee's men are comfortably the championship's most potent side.
However the manager admitted the scoreline flattered his side.
"The truth of the matter is Kildare were playing all of the football and we were second best in so many positions all over the field," he said.
While he welcomed his side's change of fortunes after the break, McEntee said he could take very little credit for it.
"The truth is we didn't perform [in the first half]," he said. "Lads themselves knew we didn't perform.
"It's knockout football, you either perform for 35 minutes or you don't and at least we knew if we did perform [in the second half] we'd give ourselves a chance."
The Royal supremo said it will be harder to overcome a similarly lacklustre first-half performance against Dublin next weekend.
"If we don't perform a against a team like Dublin you'd be out of sight by half-time.
"We're very much aware that we need to be doing a lot more."
