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23 September 1999 Edition

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Sportsview: Royals to overcome Rebel attack

By Dan O'Neill

All Ireland Football Final Preview

As regular readers of this column will know, I tipped Meath from the beginning of the championship to lift the last Sam Maguire of the millennium.

Hardly a brave decision, considering Meath's championship pedigree in recent years.

Indeed, many pundits backed Sean Boylan's side to bounce back from the disappointments of 1997/1998. The defeats to Offaly and Kildare were surely a low point in the Meath boss's reign.

Boylan is a man used to success. The longest serving inter-county manager, now entering his 18th year at the helm, has delivered a string of honours to the county, including three All-Ireland titles, seven Leinster championships and a hat-trick of National League triumphs. On Sunday, he hopes to taste more glory when Meath contest their fourth final of the decade.

The fact that his side have been paired against Cork has inevitably revived memories and talk of the intense rivalry between these two sides at the end of the 1980s and early 1990s.

One man who knows all about these memorable games is Cork manager Larry Tompkins. Nine years ago, Tomkins lifted the Sam Maguire after Cork finally defeated their bitter rivals at the third attempt.

In the process, he completed an historic Rebel double. Now as manager, he attempts to replicate the feat. All this talk of another historic double has increased the pressure on Cork this week.

From the moment their hurlers beat Kilkenny, the ante was upped for Tompkins and Co.

Despite this, Sunday's game should be as tight as the Cork-Meath tussles at the turn of the decade.

Both teams have excellent yet contrasting defences, which have been very impressive throughout the championship. Meath play a tight marking game at the back and rarely get forward, while Cork have the more natural players and their half-back line will attack on Sunday.

In midfield, O'Sullivan and Murphy have had a good championhip for Cork, but I feel Meath will tilt it here. In McDermott, they have the best midfielder in the country.

I also feel that in attack Meath have the advantage. With Giles, Geraghty and Ollie Murphy, who is now likely to feature, the Royals will cause Cork a lot of trouble. Cork need Joe Kavanagh and Philip Clifford on their game but I think the Meath defence will do their homework.

At the very least ,I hope we get an entertaining final after the two atrocious semi-finals, the worst in years, which have given Gaelic football bad press.

The spite may have gone out of the Cork-Meath rivalry, but not the sense of history. This alone should give us a passionate if not a pretty game.

Key men

Trevor Giles (Meath)

The ``midfield general'' has been in excellent form and has rarely put a foot wrong all season. Feeds off loose ball in midfield and can open up any defence with a long pass. If he can get ball into Geraghty and Murphy, Cork will struggle. He's the player of the year for me.

Joe Kavanagh (Cork)

His strengh and speed on the ball can unsettle defences and his ability to pick off scores will trouble Meath. Good distributor of the ball also to his inside line. Cork need a good game from him if they are to complete another hitoric double.

Previous Final meetings between the two

1967    Meath 1-9    Cork 0-9

1987    Meath 1-14    Cork 0-11

1988    Meath 0-12    Cork 1-9

Replay    Meath 0-13    Cork 0-12

1990    Cork 0-11     Meath 0-9

Unnecessary Roughness


Violence in the GAA seems to have reached new heights after a Monaghan club game last weekend.

The sight of one or even a couple of players being sent off is nothing unusual these days in Gaelic football. However, Latton, currently fighting relegation from Division One, had two of their players sent off-for fighting with each other!

A mix-up in their defence, which led to an opposition point, sparked the brawl which lasted a couple of minutes, much to the bemusement of the watching crowd and opposition players.

McCarthy gets extended contract


Mick McCarthy will be confirmed as the Republic of Ireland's manager for the next World Cup qualifying series before the crunch European Championship qualifyer in Macedonia.

The two-year extenion to his present contract comes after impressive diplays by McCarthy's men in their recent group games.

The former Irish international player has tranformed the Irish side in the wake of Jack Charlton's departure in 1996.

IFA ``encouraged'' by Windsor fans


The IFA's `see no evil, hear no evil' approach to sectarianism at Windsor Park was highlighted again after the North's Turkey stuffing in a European qualifyer. A spokesperson, however, claimed to be ``encouraged'' by the fans behaviour at the game.

Twenty two minutes pased before the first chorus of the ``Sash'', which must be a record. Incidentally, half a minute later the BBC commentary spoke of a ``party atmosphere'' engulfing the ground.

After the game, IFA officials were pleased that the sectarian chants had not reached the heights of recent games.

Apparently, zero tolerance of this bigotry is ``unrealistic'' according to the IFA.

They must be afraid of losing more of their dwindling support, as that vital qualifyer was only watched by 7,420 loyal(ist) fans.

Perhaps a change in the attitude of the IFA is as likely as a change in the fortunes of their football team?

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