THE KERRY team formed a guard of honour and applauded the All-Ireland champions as they ran onto the field in Navan yesterday. Their charity didn't end there, however, as they surrendered to a Meath team missing 11 of the first 15 that beat Mayo in the All-Ireland replay six weeks ago.

It was, said joint manager Pidi O Se, "the worst display of football I have witnessed from Kerry since I took over". He was surely grateful, therefore, that the likes of Graham Geraghty, John McDermott, Brendan Reilly and Darren Fay watched from the stand.

O Se might argue that he too was missing key players like Maurice Fitzgerald and Dara O Cinneide - but he might agree that some of the men he had on the field were missing also. The Meath shadow cabinet, by contrast, was always present and correct. Deficiencies in skill and technique were apparent among some of the second string - but not in commitment.

They had, crucially, some survivors from the All-Ireland on board to provide that extra dimension in class. Principal among these was captain Tommy Dowd who had a rampant game at full forward. Each of his three points from play was raucously applauded.

In defence, they had Mark O'Reilly and Martin O'Connell, who despite past excellence provided further evidence that this, arguably, has been the best year of his career. Both combined to put up the shutters, as they did all summer, when Kerry came pressing for scores late in the game.

Dowd's performance in attack was augmented by an influential performance from Jody Devine who kicked two impressive first-half points from centre forward. Moynalvey's Cathal Sheridan took over the free-taking duties in the absence of Trevor Giles and while he hadn't many opportunities from the placed ball, he kicked with more composure than either Pa Laide or Michael Francis Russell, both of whom squandered easy chances.

In midfield, Joey Farrelly and Kevin Cahill had enough height and bulk to neutralise Dara O Se and newcomer Joe Daly, who joins a long list of Kerry players tried in this position. Cahill was perhaps the pick of the quartet, but neither combination acquired a decisive edge. Paidi O Se's search for a convincing midfield partnership continues, however.

He has trawled the county for a full back too. Morgan O'Shea has the physique, but a torrid hour on Dowd yesterday will have done little for his confidence. Eamon Breen was the Kerry defender most visibly "up" for this game, but he didn't have much luck, dropping a ball early in the second half, which Dowd exploited, and picking up a knock in the same incident.

Billy O'Shea played as a third midfielder leaving the tall figure of Donal Daly isolated as a target man at full-forward. O Shea sent some decent ball into Daly, but Navan O'Mahony's John Brady coped at full back. So too did Evan Kelly at centre half back, the converted corner forward justifying one of Sean Boylan's more improbable improvisations by sweeping up usefully along the half back line.

With the long ball to Daly not working, O Se switched him to his conventional midfield position early in the second half. The move did little to alter the status quo.

Kerry, however, did have chances to win this game. Ten wides, some of them lamentable, took their toll, especially Laide's effort in the 11th minute when he pulled his left-footed shot wide across the face of the goal with only Cormac O'Sullivan - Meath's third choice goalkeeper - to beat.

O'Sullivan did well to keep out a shot from Denis O'Dwyer in the 50th minute, staying upright to block the ball with his legs. O'Dwyer was again deprived with just two minutes left his low drive cannoning off Brady.

Meath did not create goal chances, but picked off the points with greater precision. Donal Curtis, who scored a point from corner back early in the championship, lined out at corner forward and took the assist from Dowd to float one over after two minutes. Kerry stayed in touch and trailed by just a point after 23 minutes but points from Dowd and Devine left Meath in front at the break, 0-6 to 0-3.

Four minutes into the second half they doubled their lead, Dowd receiving a 30-yard free from Cahill and hoofing over from distance on the turn. The captain was buzzing in this period, setting up Sheridan two minutes later and then curling over his third.

Meath scored just once more, a Sheridan free in the 19th minute that left them four in front. Kerry threw Genie Farrell into attack, but he was tied up by O'Reilly - his Tralee RTC team-mate - while O'Connell popped up to make a couple of important interventions.

Points from Laide and substitute Joan Cronin came too late in the day and some unfamiliar Meath players walked off to standing applause from a delighted - and probably surprised - Meath crowd.