Meath's might to prevent red double

Tomorrow's Bank of Ireland All-Ireland football final is as close a pairing as could be imagined. Both teams boast comparable assets and labour and both have similar misgivings. Each has their own unique voodoo - for Cork the momentum towards the double which proved irresistible nine years ago, while for Meath the almost fearful regard in which the county is held on these big occasions.

None of the foregoing is meant to suggest that the teams can't be separated, just that the task isn't a straightforward one. Logic and experience points to Meath, despite the surprisingly impressive season enjoyed by Cork. It was a surprise because for the first time since Larry Tompkins took over as manager, Cork looked to be in the process of rebuilding.

Instead, the new combination has hit the ground running and already accumulated the silverware from every competition entered to date. Their defence has probably been the best unit in this year's championship, capably manned despite their worries at full back which we'll come to in a minute but, more importantly, strikingly better as a collective unit than as individuals.

In attack, the Cork forwards have improved as the year has progressed. Don Davis has solved the full forward problem by ignoring it and Philip Clifford has rapidly evolved from a dogged but intermittent performer into a match-winner as the All-Ireland semi-final against Mayo proved.

Cork's centrefield has been underrated before all of its outings this year but has managed to win enough ball on each occasion. Overall a plausible case can be made for Cork to complete the double - but not a compelling one.

The central argument here is that Meath will be the first team Cork have met with the capacity to counter the Munster champions' strengths and exert sufficient pressure of their own to win the last All-Ireland of the 1990s.

Meath's defence mightn't be as collectively good as Cork's, but it's not far off it and although there may be a potential weakness at numbers four and five - where both Cormac Murphy and Hank Traynor (presuming he switches again) had trouble against Armagh - Cork too have had difficulties at the back.

Tompkins and his selectors were probably right to opt for Sean O hAilpin at full back. The goals conceded against Kerry weren't his exclusive responsibility and although James Horan gave him a torrid time at the start of the semi-final, he recovered his composure in the corner and lasted the match.

From a Meath perspective, the main question is can their defence hold Cork's attack. The strong belief here is yes. Cormac Murphy's struggles in the semi-final were the indirect result of Armagh's bewildering changes in attack.

Murphy is most likely to be given the task of tracking Don Davis out the field, a detail more to his taste. Even if he ends up marking Clifford, he won't be beaten all ends up and consequently Cork aren't likely to be encouraged to drive every ball into the right corner.

Hank Traynor is likely to mark Podsie O'Mahony who has had a fine season to date but who - in common with the rest of the forwards - is not a tried and tested match-winner. Neither Joe Kavanagh nor Mark O'Sullivan have played to their potential this year and will have to raise their game considerably to achieve that in the company of Enda McManus, who will hold the middle, and Mark O'Reilly, who is back in form this season. One of the surprising aspects of Cork's semi-final win was the performance at centrefield. Micheal O'Sullivan worked incredibly hard as usual but Nicholas Murphy took flight and won ball in the air (sometimes spoiling the effect by dropping possession when not under pressure). The question for tomorrow is can he emulate that against John McDermott.

Most critical will be how Meath's attack gets on in the company of Cork's mean defence whose championship concessions have been 0-12, 2-4, 1-6 and 0-4. There is little to suggest that Meath will rip up this formguide, but enough to suggest that they can put enough up on the scoreboard to win.

If Cork start at sixes and sevens, as they did against Mayo, Meath will take full toll. Trevor Giles will be the most accomplished forward on the field and Owen Sexton's capacity as a man-marker is unproven. Sexton has been excellent as a reader of space and as a distributor, but he has a tendency to get too far up the field at times. It is vital for him to prevent Giles establishing a platform from which to pick his shots.

Inside, Ollie Murphy's return gives the attack more goal-scoring menace even if Anthony Lynch is by far the most accomplished corner back he has faced. Graham Geraghty will do damage if he starts well but if not, may decline into a peripheral role. Meath's best card is on the bench and unless they're breezing the match, Tommy Dowd will probably see action at some stage.

Crucially, Meath's forwards will also restrict the expansionist tendencies of Cork's half backs. Nigel Nestor, Evan Kelly and, when required Donal Curtis, are in the mould of modern wing forwards in that they will graft up and down the wing to prevent Martin Cronin and the excellent Ciaran O'Sullivan getting a grip from deep positions.

A tight, uncompromising game is on the cards with defences more in control than forwards. But in those taut conditions this season, Meath have thrived. Had they been at full strength, there is every chance that Meath would have gone close to winning the All-Ireland in the last two seasons. Tomorrow they can prove the point.