Meath manager Andy McEntee says they can’t wait to mix it with the best again after finally returning to Division 1.
The Royals took care of Fermanagh in Navan to claim top spot in Division 2 and a place in the top flight after 13 years away.
They started slowly and were lucky to only fall four points behind but Barry Dardis’ 29th minute goal hauled them back.
Star man James McEntee sealed their sixth win of a breakthrough campaign with their second goal in the 47th minute.
McEntee said: “Promotion is huge for this group of players and it’s huge for the supporters. you could see the reaction from the supporters afterwards.
“It’s great to have something big to look forward to, playing the likes of Dublin, Kerry and Tyrone next year, to have teams like that coming to visit us here in Navan.
“But it’s all very fine them coming to visit us, we’ve got to be able to deal with them too.”
Fermanagh capitalised on the strong wind initially and were four points clear after four minutes.
The visitors registered another five wides before the game was 10 minutes old so could have wiped out Meath’s nine-point cushion.
They’ll kick themselves for wasting too many chances and Dardis’ goal against the wind was a huge score for Meath.
Meath led 1-4 to 0-6 at half-time before Fermanagh tied it up briefly with a Conall Jones point just after the restart.
It was all downhill from there for the 2018 Ulster finalists who leaked 1-4 without response between the 40th and 47th minutes
Scorers - Meath: J McEntee 1-1, B Menton 0-1, C O’Sullivan 0-4 1f, B Brennan 0-1f, B Dardis 1-1, M Newman 0-3 1f, J Conlon 0-1.
Fermanagh: R Jones 0-3, U Kelm 0-1, C Corrigan 0-2, S Quigley 0-2 1f, C Jones 0-2, D McGurn 0-1, 1f.
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