Shaun Leonard was Meath's last gasp hero with the winning point four minutes into stoppage time to secure the county's first Electric Ireland All-Ireland minor title since 1992.
A terrific surge forward from defender Conor Ennis provided the opening and with the scores tied for the eighth time in a keenly contested game, Leonard kicked the crucial score from the right into the Hill 16 End.
Tyrone, chasing a first title at the grade in 11 years, had a chance at the death but substitute Conor Owens was unable to level it from a free on the edge of the 'D'.
Tyrone will kick themselves for a series of wides in the final few minutes in particular though Meath dug deep and hailed Leonard for his composure when the title hung in the balance.
Oisin O Murchu led the scoring for Meath with 1-02 overall including their first-half goal while Jack Kinlough, Ennis and Leonard all delivered for the Royal County in their first minor decider since 2012.
Tyrone breezed through the Ulster championship with 53 points to spare and hammered Cork by 14 in the All-Ireland semi-finals last weekend.
That strong form, and their large support base ahead of the senior tie between Tyrone and Kerry this afternoon, left them as slight favourites.
They enjoyed a strong start and led by 1-03 to 0-02 after nine minutes with captain Cormac Devlin, wearing number 11 but playing at full-forward, pouncing for a well taken eighth minute goal.
He beat Meath goalkeeper Oisin McDermott to a long delivery in and from the right of goals squeezed a shot by a despairing defender to the net.
Yet just six minutes later Meath were back on level terms at 1-04 piece. Meath manager Cathal O Bric claimed before the game that Tyrone hadn't faced a team of Meath's ability and work rate yet and he was proven correct.
The back to back Leinster champions refused to yield and O Murchu's 13th minute goal after a turnover on the Tyrone kick-out was a huge boost.
It was O Murchu's second score of the game following an earlier point and settled the St Colmcille's forward after his dismissal for two bookings against Sligo last weekend.
In a cagey encounter with both teams dropping men back into defence, Meath led for the first time in the 21st minute and took a narrow 1-07 to 1-06 lead at half-time.
Tyrone responded by bringing on super sub Owens at half-time. He'd scored 1-10 as a sub in his previous four games including 1-1 in the Ulster final and 0-4 against Cork last weekend.
An Owens point from a free tied it up again at 1-08 apiece but Meath finished the third quarter well on top at 1-11 to 1-08 following points from goalkeeper Oisin McDermott, O Murchu and Hughie Corcoran.
Tyrone were on top in the final quarter ad three points in a row from the powerful Ruairi McHugh, Ronan Cassidy and Owens tied it up again at 1-11 apiece.
In truth, Tyrone should have been ahead as they hit four wides in a row at one stage late on and Meath capitalised with Leonard holding his nerve to make a little bit of history for the Royals.
Meath: Oisin McDermott (0-02, 0-02 45); Conor Ennis, Tomas Corbett, Liam Kelly; Sean O'Hare, John O'Regan, Killian Smyth; Paul Wilson, Jack Kinlough (0-01); Shaun Leonard (0-02), Sean Emmanuel (0-01), Conor McWeeney (0-01); Christian Finlay, Oisin O Murchu (1-02), Hughie Corcoran (0-03, 0-01f).
Subs: Andrew Moore for McWeeney 53, James Foley for Corcoran 58, Brian O'Halloran for Kelly 61.
Tyrone: Niall Robinson; Matthew Mallon, Callan Kelly, Michael Rafferty; Hugh Cunningham (0-01, 0-01f), Ronan Fox, Shea O'Hare; Ronan Donnelly, Ruairi McHugh (0-02); Gavin Potter, Ronan Strain, Paddy McCann; Ronan Cassidy (0-3, 0-2f), Cormac Devlin (1-01), Eoin McElholm (0-2).
Subs: Conor Owens (0-02, 0-02f) for Potter h/t, Jack Martin for Donnelly 32-f/t, blood, Noah Grimes for McCann 47, Brian Hampsey for McHugh 57-59, blood, Ronan Molloy for Cunningham 57.
Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary).
