Keith Duggan replays the last championship meeting between Meath and Donegal, the 1990 All-Ireland semi-final, with some of those who played

1990 revisited: Meath 3-7, Donegal 1-5

MEATH: D Smyth; R O'Malley, M Lyons, T Ferguson; M O'Connell, K Foley, B Reilly; L Hayes, C Brady; D Beggy (0-1), PJ Gillic (0-2), T Dowd; C O'Rourke, B Stafford (1-2, 1 free), B Flynn (2-2). Subs: G McEntee for Brady (45 mins), M McCave for Dowd ( 58 mins), Brady for McEntee (60 mins).

DONEGAL: G Walsh; M Gallagher, P Carr, J Cunningham; D Reid, M Gavigan, M Shovlin; A Molloy, B Murray; J McHugh, M McHugh, J McMullan; D Bonner (0-3), T Boyle (0-1), M Boyle (1-2, pen, free). Subs: T Ryan for J McHugh (50 mins), L Gavigan for M McHugh (61 mins), J Gallagher for Murray (64 mins).

When Donegal and Meath last played a championship match in Croke Park, the country was still in a post-Italia '90 languor. The plans for a visionary new Croke Park were no more than architectural drafts. The Hogan and Cusack were dark, echoing and thrilling places, the Canal and Hill ends where the fittest survived.

That Sunday in August was heavy and wet. Seán Boylan's Meath were in the autumn of a glorious period, a gifted and teak-tough team that lifted back to back All-Irelands in 1987 and 1988.

Donegal were playing in Croke Park for the first time since 1983, with Brian McEniff, as ever, leading the quest. Some 40,243 people turned up to watch the match.

Paddy Downey (The Irish Times): 'Hindsight is a wonderful source of wisdom. Now we know that Cork and Meath were not entitled to the "unbeatable" status widely accorded before the All-Ireland football semi-finals. But for some inexperience and some bad luck their underrated opponents could now be through to the final on September 16th.'

Bernard Flynn (right corner forward, Meath): "The two teams had actually met in a league quarter-final in Monaghan some weeks earlier so we were acquainted with each other. And it was terrific, a massive crowd showed up for the game. We were six points down with 10 minutes to go and actually ended up winning by six points. And that meant a lot to us then, it really kept the momentum going for us at that time because we had a lot of football played."

Martin O'Connell (right half back, Meath): "We were used to Croke Park as it was kind of considered a home ground for us. Maybe Donegal were a bit nervous for the first few minutes. As a player, you don't notice things like that. But it was an All-Ireland semi-final, it would be unnatural not to be nervous. I remember the first time I came out there my legs turned to jelly."

Brian McEniff: "We had this thing about Croke Park and it is like no other place. I remember the first time I ever played there, I was 17 and it was a club game, Clan Na Gael against Na Fianna, some time around 1962. The legs went from under me when I saw the Hogan Stand and I thought the pitch was a mile wide. It was frightening. I got off to a magical start, kicked a point with the first ball I got. But that was because the ball was like a hot spud in my hands, I just wanted rid of it. I don't think I saw the ball for the rest of the game."

Joyce McMullan (right half forward, Donegal): "We were probably a wee bit nervous but at the same time, we weren't a young team at that stage and there was the sense that our being there was overdue. Meath were cock o'the hoop then, they were the team to beat. The abiding memory of the game is it was very, very tough and we were just a small bit light for them. We knew it would be hard, but not to that extent.

"I remember early on in the game one of the Meath lads walking by me and getting an elbow in the face as he went by. There was plenty of room to walk by but he was just letting me know who was boss. It wasn't enough to injure you or cause trouble but at the same time, you wouldn't have expected the like of that."

Bernard Flynn: "You ask any of that Meath team and they will tell you it was the toughest game they ever played in. Donegal had big, strong defenders back then and from the start, the tackling was really ferocious - not in an unfair way or anything. But we were all sore for days afterwards. I remember getting a shoulder from Rambo Gavigan between the time I scored my first goal and the time I scored the second. It actually broke my breastbone, it was giving me trouble for months."

Brian Murray (midfield, Donegal): "Among the players, there was a feeling that when it came to Meath, we had to stand up and be counted. Meath had this aura about them then, they were a great team and a proven team. I knew a lot of them from playing club up here but as a team, they had respect. But we didn't want to stand back and I don't think we let ourselves down on that front. But we were primarily a football side and maybe for large periods of that game, we got so lost in the idea of matching Meath physically, we forgot about the football. And Meath, of course, never forgot to play football."

Brian McEniff: "Their first goal was a strange thing, it actually came back off the post and hit Gary Walsh on the back of the head and rebounded into the net. You get a bad feeling when you see things like that. But we came into the match very well and at half-time, I was very positive, I felt we could go on and win it. The eight-point defeat doesn't give a true reflection of the match because it was 1-7 to 1-6 with just 10 minutes to go. But we weren't fully functioning up front and then John Cunningham, who was playing exceptionally well, erred and Meath were on to the ball in a flash. They got a goal from it and suddenly it was over."

Martin O'Connell: "We certainly weren't eight points the better team. It was a tight game and as hard as we encountered. I remember some of the lads weren't right for a fair while afterwards. Maybe it affected us in the All-Ireland final three weeks later but, ahh, that would be an excuse. Cork beat us fair and square."

Bernie Flynn: "Cunningham and those lads were as hard and committed as they came. Matt (Gallagher) was marking me and I actually knew him quite well. Didn't do me any good, though, he was pulling and dragging out of me for the entire match. With 10 minutes to go, it was backs-to-the-wall stuff so I was certainly surprised with the way it finished. Donegal possibly froze a small bit when it came to winning it. They reminded me a lot of ourselves a few years prior to that, a team desperate to make the breakthrough, When you want it so badly, that's when it's hardest to get. We got a quick goal. I think they were clearing the ball and next thing, Stafford had it."

Joyce McMullan: "A wee bit of magic from Stafford and Bernie Flynn and that was it. You give a man like that a quality chance and he will always bury it. It was a terrible feeling coming off the pitch, real emptiness. We all headed home that night and there was probably some sort of reception in Donegal town. It was only later it became apparent it was the losing of that match that prepared us for what it took to win when we got back to Croke Park two years later. But that night, it seemed like a wild, long road."

PJ Gillic (right half forward, Meath): "Donegal were a coming team, we were more or less finished. I remember hearing an interview with Brian McEniff before the game and you knew they were confident. We were lucky to beat them in the league and I think their attitude was, 'these so and so's stole a league from us, it isn't going to happen again'. And we got a bit of luck in Croke Park afterwards. When you are in the habit of winning, that happens. Donegal were devastated afterwards and it was understandable."

Martin McHugh (centre half forward, Donegal, from his column in the Star): 'That game was the worst experience I ever had on a football pitch, I was ready to walk away from football after that. I had scored nine points on Liam Harnan in a quarter-final shortly before but the right time to do it wasn't the league quarter-final. I just could not get on the ball. I was confident but the game just passed me by. Eventually I was called ashore and it was the first time I was substituted in any game at any level. My mind was in turmoil. I played in Croke Park in 1983 and did well and this was supposed to be my time to deliver. I always wanted get back to Croke Park and now that I had, I had blown it.'

Joyce McMullan: "I was part of the half forward line that got taken apart that day. We got criticised heavily, especially Martin. Anthony Molloy won a scatter of ball around midfield that day and rightfully got praise for that but we ended up just banging it forward. Afterwards we spoke about it and if you look at any Donegal game after that semi-final, any ball Anthony wins goes straight to Martin. Anthony would tell you that himself."

Martin McHugh: 'We stopped in Cavan for something to eat and a man came up to talk about the match. He obviously didn't recognise me because he said 'Where was your great McHugh today?' That just finished me - I was thinking it was time to quit as we headed down the road. Then there was a vicious letter in a local paper that tore me apart and sent me even lower. I couldn't sleep and was shaking and shivering in bed. I was afraid to leave the house. It did show me who my real friends were. Some rang, took me for a jar and just said it's a long road that has no turning.'

Brian Murray: "We could all have got criticised for things we did that day but Martin was the star player and most of it was directed at him. And it was quite bad, some of it. Thankfully he got the chance to come back and stuff it to people two years later."

Martin O'Connell: "The teams went their own way after the game. There was no real opportunity to meet in Croke Park then, which is a pity. We just went for a few drinks as usual. Mainly, we were just relieved, glad to have the game over with. We were at a stage where we had won a couple of All-Irelands and desperately wanted another one or two."

PJ Gillic: "The tradition was that we would go to Ashbourne after a big win. But we had been on the road a while then and the novelty was wearing off. We knew we had training again a few nights later and a final to prepare for. It was a quiet win."

Brian McEniff: "I was dejected by the result but at the same time I left Croke Park full of hope. 1983 was devastating, we lost out to a fluky goal. But here, we lived with a truly great Meath team for a long while and we had chances to win it. I really felt we could get back there."

Martin O'Connell: "That was the beginning of the end of that good Meath team, say 1987-91, that I played on. Donegal came back to win the All-Ireland in '92. That was a popular win around Meath but funny, that was sort of the end of them as well.

"It's amazing to think that it's 12 years now since the counties met. And only for the back door, we wouldn't be meeting on Sunday either."

Brian Murray: "A few years later, I was talking to Terry Ferguson and he reckoned that match cost Meath their All-Ireland against Cork. I don't know. It's great to see Donegal back in Croke Park. The year after we won the All-Ireland, we lost narrowly to Derry in the Ulster final. Then, in 1998, my last year, we missed the boat against Derry again, Joe Brolly, the effer, got a late goal. So it is good to be back."

PJ Gillic: "For a few years after I stopped, I missed it terribly. I couldn't even bring myself to go to matches. But gradually it got easier and now I can't wait for Sunday. We are bringing a busload of kids up from Carnaross. They'll be going mad for Ollie Murphy. There's nobody like Ollie is this part of the country."

Joyce McMullan: "You always find yourself missing it on championship days. I'm glad to be finished with the hard slog, the cold nights, all that. But yeah, you miss it on big days."

Brian McEniff: "I get tense. I get annoyed. In Clones, I remember throwing my programme on the ground in anger at one point. Because this young Donegal team are fine boys and Mickey (Moran) is doing very well with them. But a part of you wants to be out there, wants to try and help and encourage. And at the same time, you know there is nothing left to give, that your time is gone. So it gets frustrating. Sunday isn't a must win game for Donegal but it would give the whole county a wonderful lift.We'll see.

"Croke Park is an absolutely unbelievable place now. I savoured every moment of the Leinster final, I stayed right until the very end. I must have been one of the last 50 to leave. It'll be the same this week. I find myself kicking every ball from my seat."

Martin O'Connell: "I still kick junior football but I miss days like that. I suppose it just goes to show you how time flies. You have your day and it passes quickly. It's a pity the two teams couldn't meet. That is one of the regrettable things about the GAA. We had a great rivalry with Cork and it took two very sad occasions in Cork for the players to meet up. It wouldn't take much just to organise a room for the teams for the 1990 teams to meet in Croke Park. I met Joyce McMullan in America a few years later but really, the opportunity to meet isn't there. It's the banter and meeting up with lads I miss the most."

Brian Murray: "I was walking up the hill in Clones before the Ulster final thinking, Jesus, to be 10 years younger. I would have loved to be out there and it will be the same in Croke Park. But it's a young man's game now. They are organising tickets from home so we'll all go. Sure you couldn't miss it."