Meath 1-13 Tyrone 2-8: Meath have booked their place in an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with Cork after edging Tyrone by two points in a thrilling game at Croke Park.
Colm Coyle's side, driven by inspirational full-back Darren Fay, were the better team throughout but credit Tyrone who stuck doggedly to their task and remained in the hunt until the death despite not being at their best.
Crucially, though, Tyrone lacked the penetration to trouble a Meath side who, late in the game, had gone without a score for 15 minutes but defended resolutely.
Meath have gone from strength to strength since their lacklustre opening win over Kildare and the momentum they now carry forward should not be underestimated.
Both teams dished up a superb first half offering although it was Meath who caught the eye more so. Their forwards were nicely in tune throughout and benefited from a direct approach.
Brian Farrell opened his side's account early on and thereafter Tyrone were subjected to wave after wave of Meath attack.
Stephen Bray, one of the finds of the summer to date, scored three points during that first half and Meath regularly looked to him for inspiration.
But despite the fact five of Meath's six forward had scored within the opening 20 minutes, Tyrone were always within touching distance while not at their best.
Raymond Mulgrew's brace kept Tyrone ticking over as Meath peppered scores at the Canal End. But it was Sean Cavanagh's goal after 24 minutes that maintained Tyrone's interest.
Trailing by four points and struggling with Meath's direct approach, Tyrone pushed forward. Captain Brian Dooher spotted the midfielder in space and Cavanagh raced 40 yards before firing high to the net.
It proved a crucial and timely score as just minutes before goalkeeper John Devine was required to save Peadar Byrne's goalbound effort.
However, Tyrone had clawed their way back into the contest and although Owen Mulligan was misfiring in attack, the Ulster champions trailed by just two points at the break; 0-10 to 1-5.
Indeed, with Farrell, Bray, Shane O'Rourke and Graham Geraghty all on form, Meath will have been disappointed to lead by such a slender margin as their first half output deserved a more handsome reward.
That narrow lead was then wiped out and reversed just two minutes after the restart. A long distance free rebounded off the upright and dropped for Mulligan who atoned for his earlier misses by bursting the net.
Tyrone were now playing with high intensity yet Meath showed character. Farrell levelled with a free but Geraghty edged the Royals in front again when, with 44 minutes played, he capitalised on Devine's hesitancy by cheekily palming the ball to the net.
The Ulster side displayed more hunger than they had in the first half yet they regularly shot from impossible angles, giving their inside forwards little or no chance against a tenacious Meath defence.
Nigel Crawford and Mark Ward kept Meath's total ticking over but that latter score, in the 55th minute, would prove the Leinster side's last of the game.
Ryan Mellon's late point for Tyrone reduced the deficit to two points but try as they might Mickey Harte's team could find no way through an impenetrable Meath defence.