Cork face Meath on Saturday for the first time in championship since 2007

This Saturday, old rivals Cork and Meath come together in an important championship game.

The two sides clash in Páirc Tailteann with throw-in at 3pm in the All-Ireland SFC Group 2 Round 1 tie. Despite this particular fixture being a regular one in the calendar over a long period of time, they haven’t met in the championship in nearly 20 years.

It has been a regular meeting in the league in recent years. Cork have won the last two Allianz Division 2 league games by four points on both occasions, in Páirc Tailteann last year and SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh earlier this season.

This weekend’s battle will be the first championship encounter between Cork and Meath in some 18 years, which is a bit surprising. Back then, they collided in Croke Park in the All-Ireland semi-final when the Rebels blew the Royal County away to win 1-16 to 0-9.

Cork won the battle on the pitch and on the sideline too. Having watched it back this week, they outmanoeuvred Meath by setting up their team so their oppositions’ vaunted forward line was rendered helpless for long stretches. 

Graham Canty switched from full-back to the left corner to keep tabs on Stephen Bray, holding him scoreless in the first half before going on Graham Geraghty.

The latter would later get involved with Cork defender Noel O'Leary in a high-profile flash point. O'Leary received a yellow card.

Also key to winning the game was using the giant Michael Cussen as a third man midfielder on a number of occasions as opposed to being just a target man.

The quality of Donncha O'Connor was on show with the Ballydesmond man scoring 0-6 (0-2 f).

A lot has changed since then none more so than the game itself with the new rules now in place since the start of this year.

Back in 2007, it was still the old school values of football, one-on-one defending, kick-passing, heads up football and no blanket defences.

Cork were at the peak of their powers back then, regular contenders for the Sam Maguire and in the league, but it would be three years later before the Leesiders would land the All-Ireland trophy for the first time in 20 years.

The Rebels’ impressive performance against a Meath side who were trying to get back to their old self, rightly gave them confidence going into the final, but then suffered a 3-13 to 1-9 loss to Kerry.

In total, Cork and Meath have met seven times in championship football, with the Royal County winning on four occasions, there have been two wins for Cork and one draw.

Meath had the upper hand in 1987 and 1988 All-Ireland finals before Cork gained revenge (and the double) in 1990.

Scorers and teams below from the last championship contest between Cork and Meath in 2007.

Scorers for Cork: D O’Connor 0-6 (0-2 f), K McMahon 1-2, D Goulding 0-3 (0-2 f), P O’Neill 0-2, J Miskella, N Murphy, D Kavanagh 0-1 each.

Meath: B Farrell 0-4 (0-3 f), S O’Rourke, S Bray 0-2 each, C King 0-1.

CORK: A Quirke; M Shields, G Canty, K O’Connor; N O’Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh, N Murphy; J Miskella, P O’Neill, K McMahon; D Goulding, M Cussen, D O’Connor.

Subs: C McCarthy for J Miskella (h-t), D Duggan for M Shields (63), K O’Sullivan for D Goulding (64), E Cadogan for N O’Leary (69), A Cronin for P O’Neill (70).

MEATH: B Murphy; C McGuinness, D Fay, N McKeigue; S Kenny, K Reilly, C King; M Ward, N Crawford; G Geraghty, J Donegan, P Byrne; S Bray, S O’Rourke, B Farrell.

Subs: C Ward for J Donegan (31), C O’Connor for C McGuinness (48), C McCarthy for P Byrne (52), N McLoughlin for S O’Rourke (60).

Referee: Brian Crowe (Cavan).