It took a two-pointer and Jordan Morris score inside the final minute for Meath to wrestle the result out of Cavan’s arms.
Meath scoring right at the death to score a 2-16 to 1-18 victory.
Dara McVeety had given Cavan an early lead but Sean Caulfield was quick to reply for Meath.
Jack Brady and Jordan Morris both registered points for Meath as they led 0-3 to 0-2 after 11 minutes.
Ruairi Kinsella capitalized on a mix-up in the Cavan defence on 14 minutes lobbing keeper Liam Brady finding the net.
Gearoid McKiernan hit a two pointer for Cavan after 18 minutes, before Jordan Morris replied for Meath. Meath led by three points after 19 minutes, 1-9 to 0-9.
Peter Corrigan fired the ball low and hard to the back of the Meath after 23 minutes as Cavan moved back to within a point of Meath.
Darragh McVeety and Gearoid McKiernan both hit points either side of an Eoighan Freyne point as the sides were locked level after 33 minutes.
It remained that way until the hooter sounded, bringing the first half to an end. At half-time the score line read 1-8 a-piece.
Matthew Costello opened the scoring for the second-half when he burst through the Cavan defence and fired over, seconds after the restart.
Meath got their second goal of the day on 40 minutes through Jordan Morris, making no mistake from the penalty spot.
Both sides traded scores with Oisin Brady and Cormac O’Reilly finding their range for Cavan. As Ciaran Caulfield and James Conlon done likewise for Meath.
Gearoid McKiernan and Jordan Morris traded scores as the sides were locked level with under two minutes until the hooter sounded for full-time.
Cavan looking for victory
The final 90 seconds of this contest produced drama of the highest order.
Caoimhan McGovern had put Cavan into the lead with 69 minutes played. It looked like Cavan were on course to overcome the fierce rivals but a two pointer from Jack Flynn, followed by a Jordan Morris score sealed the victory for Meath.
It resulted in a two point loss for Cavan, on a score line of 2-16 to 1-18, as Cavan must wait for their first league victory of 2026.
