Today Croke Park will pay host to its first full house of this Championship season, as 80,000+ fans will filter through the gates of the GAA Headquarters, eagerly awaiting the clash of Leinster's big two footballing counties. Dublin and Meath championships games have that derby element to them, that fierce rivalry. The four game saga of 1991 depicts this and today's game will not be short of action and physical contests all over the field.

In recent seasons Dublin's campaigns have been more fruitful, but that precious All-Ireland still eludes manager Paul ‘Pillar’ Caffrey’s current troops. Last year, at half time in an All-Ireland semi-final with Mayo, the Dubs and their many followers packed on to the Hill and throughout the stadium thought they had one foot in an All-Ireland Final, but Mayo had other ideas. During that second half the men from the West played their best football of the season and chased and hunted down Dublin like a cheetah after a fragile gazelle grazing on the Serengeti. In the end, that gazelle got fucked, proper fucked and Dublin limped out of Championship 2006 with a whimper.

If Meath are to create an upset today, against a very fancied Dublin side, they will have to hit them from the start, harass and chase down everything and give Dublin's forwards no time on the ball. As Mayo showed last year, Dublin can cave under intense pressure.

In Alan Brogan, Dublin have a player who could manage to find acres of space in Coppers on All-Ireland night. His work-rate off the ball is magnificent and if allowed such space will punish you on the scoreboard. Meath will have to nullify his threat and ensure their own forwards take their chances to be in with a shout with 10 minutes remaining. No doubt new manager Colm Coyle, who was part of the Meath team which eventually triumphed after game four in 1991, will have his troops ready for battle, and with Coyle in charge, expect a very physical approach from Meath.

I’m going to go for a win for the Royal men.

tags: GAA