Meath and Tyrone will battle it out in next Saturday’s All-Ireland minor football championship final after both sides came through their respective semi-finals this afternoon.

The Leinster champions held off Sligo at Kingspan Breffni to secure a 2-14 to 2-9 victory and advance to their first Tom Markham Cup decider since 2012.

Cathal O’Bric’s charges had been trailing 0-2 to 0-1 when Christian Finlay fired them in front with the game’s opening goal on nine minutes.

Points from Shaun Leonard and Hugh Corcoran stretched the Royals’ lead to four and they’d be eight to the good come the 20-minute mark thanks the scores of Corcoran, Tomas Corbett, Oisín Ó Murchú (mark) and Finlay.

A Luke Marren free stopped the rot for the Yeats’ lads and they’d be back in contention once Brian Duffy slotted home a penalty prior to three more Meath points leaving it at 1-11 to 1-4 for the break.

Ó Murchú and Mark McDaniel traded points early in the restart and a drought of scores would follow in the soaking wet conditions in Cavan Town.

Seven separated the teams when McGovern snuck in for Sligo’s second goal and suddenly there was hope for the Connacht champions with six minutes to go.

Cork’s Luke O’Herlihy and Shea O'Hare of Tyrone ©INPHO/James Crombie

It was soon extinguished however, as John Mannion settled the issue with a calmly taken goal in the 57th minute ensuring Meath that they stayed on course for their first success in this competition in 29 years.

In Tullamore, Gerard Donnelly’s Tyrone side were very much in control as they saw off Cork impressively by 0-23 to 1-6 to advance to next Saturday’s final.

Eoin McElholm’s opening point after two minutes ushered Tyrone into a lead that they’d never relinquish.

Hugh J Cunningham’s 30-metre free doubled the advantage and, while Cork hit back with a free from Hugh O’Connor, the next three scores of would go the way of the Ulster champions via Ronan Cassidy (2, 1 free) and captain Cormac Devlin.

Ruairi McHugh, Cunningham, Ronan Strain and marksman Cassidy (free) raised the white flags that saw Donnelly’s side lead by 0-10 to 0-3 at the interval.

Struggling to breakdown their opponents, the Rebels would only manage two points in the second-half regulation time as Tyrone added another 0-10 to their tally in that time to seal the deal at O'Connor Park.

Cork would grab a consolation goal through Dylan Crowley on the hour mark, but it was too little, too late as the Red Hands cruised into their first All-Ireland MFC final in eight years.

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