Boylan names strongest line-up

Meath have made no changes for Sunday's All-Ireland football final against Galway. The news was announced last night on the county's new website, www.gaa.ie/meath With no injuries to worry about, manager Sean Boylan was able to name his strongest line-up. This means that there will be two changes from the side that started the All-Ireland final of two years ago when the county defeated Cork 1-11 to 1-8.

Neither Richie Kealy nor Ray Magee on the left flank of the attack started that match but both are included for Sunday. Kealy came on that day as a substitute but Magee, although a member of the successful panel, wasn't called in during the final.

The players to drop out are wing back Paddy Reynolds who hasn't managed to reclaim the place he lost after picking up a two-month suspension for being sent off against Kildare and Enda McManus who played centre back two years ago.

Coincidentally, the two direct replacements are Nigel Nestor and Donal Curtis both of whom started in the half forwards that year.

Although the 15 named for Sunday is the same as started the big win over Kerry in the semi-final, the team that day lined out with Hank Traynor moving to centre back in a swap with Nestor.

Galway, who named their side earlier in the week made only one change with dual player Alan Kerins making way for Paul Clancy.

This will be the first championship meeting between the counties since 1970 when Meath had a four-point win - their only in four meetings with Galway - on their way to a final defeat by Kerry. It is the second final meeting, as in 1966 Galway completed the three-in-a- row by defeating a heavily fancied Meath by 1-10 to 0-7. That third triumph was notable for the goal scored by Mattie McDonagh - the only goal scored by Galway over the three finals.

McDonagh became the only Connacht player to win four senior All- Ireland medals, having been a teenager in the 1956 success against Cork.

Meath captain Trevor Giles is cautious about playing a county that his team has hardly faced. The most recent meeting was a pitch opening in Dunsany 16 months ago when Meath won by three points, 0-20 to 1-14. But in general he is pleased with Meath's progress.

"You won't know until after the Galway game how much our performance against Kerry was distorted. We played quite well against Kildare but Kildare were missing lads with injuries. It was good to beat Dublin and score 2-11 but they missed a lot too. Got ourselves out of an awful hole (against Westmeath). Played well in the replay. Down to 14 men and we won by five - that took some doing."

The above-mentioned Meath website has a host of interesting statistics on the final. One concerns Giles. Of the 16 finals the county has contested, five, including this weekend's, have been under the captaincy of Skryne players. But only in 1949 when Brian Smyth led Meath to a first All-Ireland, did the club's representative lift the Sam Maguire.

The counties are close together on the roll of honour. Meath have seven All-Irelands, one behind Galway on eight.