Kildare 0-14 Meath 0-14
It is Kildare who will play Division 1 football next season and for the first time since 2018 after this victory at St Conleth's Park in a game that saw three players red carded.
Having been in control for 50 minutes, the Lilywhites lost Luke Flynn when he was sent off in an off the ball incident with Brian Conlon.
At that stage, Jack O'Connor's side led by eight points but eight minutes into injury time, it took Mark Donnellan in the Kildare goal to deny Darragh Campion from point-blank range and prevent the contest going to extra time.
By then, Meath had been reduced to 13 men when Conlon and team-mate Conor McGill were dismissed after an unsavoury melee that involved a large number of players from both sides.
While it was the Lilywhites who celebrated, both counties were left counting the cost of injuries after this Division 1 semi-final, with their Leinster championship openers only three weeks away.
The home side in Newbridge lost Jimmy Hyland and Paul Cribben in the first half - the latter to a serious looking ankle injury - before Kevin Feely made way six minutes after the interval.
The Royals, who will be hugely disappointed with their display, suffered the loss of Bryan Menton, their driving force in midfield, and then the experienced Donal Keogan in the 53rd minute.
Hyland's sixth minute goal put Kildare firmly on the front foot, the corner forward remaining composed under Neil Flynn's point attempt that fell fortuitously into his arms before tucking the ball low past Andrew Colgan.
While scores came fairly easy to the hosts, the Meath forwards, with Jordan Morris the most dangerous, were made to work hard for theirs throughout the first half, as Eoin Doyle, Mark Dempsey and the Lilywhites' defence in general were in tenacious form.
The influential Feely missed a good chance for a second goal as the half hour approached but O'Connor's side were firmly in control, with Aaron Masterson, Neil Flynn and Hyland's replacement Brian McLoughlin constantly threatening and Kildare led by six point as the break.
Meath kept Kildare waiting before the second half could get underway and initially Andy McEntee's words had an impact on the visitors, with Ethan Devine getting the Royals off to the start they needed.
The home side responded with points from Feely, McLoughlin, Neil Flynn and Darragh Kirwan, but the loss of Feely to injury and then Luke Flynn to the red card gave Meath renewed hope.
The introduction of Eamon Wallace, Joey Wallace and Mickey Newman finally gave Meath impetus and their tails were up as they came forward in the closing stages.
The excellent Ryan Houlihan made a superb block on Fionn Reilly when a goal looked on, before Donnellan performed heroics to deny Campion, after Cillian O'Sullivan's initial effort had fallen into the sub's path.
