private static function checkCategoryMatch(&$currentMenuLinkIDs, $menuLink)
    {
        // check for category match
        if (Meta::getModelData()
            && isset($menuLink->params->categoryID)
            && isset(Meta::getModelData()->categories)
            && count(Meta::getModelData()->categories)
        ) {
            foreach(Meta::getModelData()->categories as $category){
                if($category->categoryID === $menuLink->params->categoryID) {
                    array_push($currentMenuLinkIDs, $menuLink->menuLinkID);

                    // append its parents too
                    foreach (self::parentID($menuLink->menuLinkID) as $parentID) {
                        array_push($currentMenuLinkIDs, $parentID);
                    }
                }
            }
        }

    }