Lovers meeting check out half past nine for this, finally (8)

I believe the answer is:

trysters

'lovers meeting' is the definition.
(people engaged in a tryst)

'check out half past nine for this finally' is the wordplay.
'check out' becomes 'try'.
'half' means to take half the letters.
'finally' suggests the final letters.
The final letters of 'nine for this' are 'ers'.
'past' halved is 'st'.
'try'+'st'+'ers'='TRYSTERS'

(Another definition for trysters that I've seen is " people making engagements".)

I've seen this clue in The Guardian.

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