AROUND 6,000 Meath supporters turned up at Navan's Pairc Tailteann last evening to pay tribute to the new All Ireland football champions in the annual GOA challenge match.
All of Meath's triumphant panel except the suspended Colm Coyle and injured final winner Brendan Reilly were in action, while Colm O'Rourke made another comeback to captain the Rest selection.
The game itself reached pantomime proportions at times and Dublin forward Charlie Redmond donned the green and gold of Meath in the second half.
The champions were nine points in arrears but, heeding the declaration by commentator Micheal O Mhuircheartaigh that the game must end in a draw, referee Pat McIlnaney disallowed a couple of Rest `scores' and awarded Meath a late penalty which Trevor Giles drove home despite the presence of O'Rourke and Sean Boylan between the posts.
After that goal a number of the Meath players indulged in a Klinsmann dive in front of the packed stand. Jody Devine then made it 10-10 each and all went home happy.
