THUD. You can hardly walk out the door this summer for fear of being hit by falling favourites in the football championship. Yesterday it was the turn of Tyrone, the first Ulster county to retain their provincial title in 20 years.

That feat and the improved displays that brought it to pass had made them fairly warm favourites for yesterday's Bank of Ireland All Ireland football semifinal against Meath.

Their fall was engineered by a cracking all round performance from the new Leinster champions. That Tyrone fell so far, however, was also due to disintegration in most of the areas where they had previously been impressive.

In outline, the match was evenly contested until half time and for the third quarter but from then until the end, Meath outscored their opponents 1-6 to 0-1. By that stage, Tyrone were unrecognisable from the side that had seen off all comers in Ulster with an assurance that made them most people's tips for the All Ireland title.

Of their hitherto improved attack, Peter Canavan who rumours suggested was carrying an injury of some sort was only a shadow of himself. Ciaran McBride, whose physical presence and greater conviction had been complementing Canavan so well this year, started reasonably but never seemed to get over a head injury sustained early in the match.

The half forwards did contribute Brian Dooher another head injury victim made menacing runs but both he and Adrian Cush, who started very well on the other wing, played to only intermittent effect. In between, Gerard Cavlan played well throughout and was rewarded with his team's top score, six points Meath's Enda McManus looking a bit nonplused by his marker's tendency to play all over the place.

Elsewhere for Tyrone, was disaster. The midfield pairing of Jody Gormley and Pascal Canavan had thrived so that this summer by slotting into the quick transfer game, using Gormley's physique and Canavan's agility to spoil and hoover up breaking ball.

Yesterday, things didn't go according to plan. Meath's big, conventional combination of Jim McGuinness and John McDermott simply cleaned up in the air and despite the efforts of their opponents, held on to what they caught. McDermott was splendid, cropping up in defence as well as running the show in the middle. He has had a fine season. But for McGuinness yesterday was the high point to date as be ably assisted his partner in monopolising the centre.

Nonetheless, it was further back that the lights really went out for Tyrone. Their defence have been a model of effective cover and tight marking. In the closing minutes of yesterday afternoon's game, they were an amorphous mess, allowing forwards get loose and being unable to tighten up and cover for each other's difficulties.

The introduction of Fergal Logan at half time probably didn't help, although it's hard to be definite about it. Something needed to be done about the menace of Graham Geraghty on Meath's left flank and Logan was physically able for the job. Two factors militated against him. One, he's not quick enough for the hot pace set by Geraghty and two, instinct was drawing him into the midfield exchanges where he was contesting high ball.

The match had started as an absorbing enough affair. Tyrone had enough of the early play to have built a more commanding lead than they managed to take in at half time. Meath's play was marked by an extraordinary economy that saw them record no wides for the entire first half (not thereafter until the 46th minute).

Before the throw in, Peter Canavan moved out to the left corner with McBride going in on the square and Brian Gormley switching corners. Although Canavan and McBride alternated frequently, young Mark O'Reilly stayed with the former and managed to frustrate his illustrious prey to a noticeable extent.

There was no hint of trouble for Tyrone as they sped to a 0-4 to 0-1 lead after 10 minutes. Maybe a certain looseness in the full back line gave some indication of what was to come, but the Ulster champions had possession and enough forwards with a touch of menace to look comfortable.

The first sign of difficulty was a missed free by Cush in the 18th minute. Kickable enough, it might have put Tyrone 0-5 to 0-2 in front. Instead the ball went down the pitch where the effervescent Barry Callaghan kicked his second point of the match and Meath closed within a point.

A minute later, Brendan Reilly who ended the day with a tasty five point haul, all from play levelled the match. Shortly afterwards, a fast, flowing movement with McGuinness and Geraghty prominent ended with Finbar McConell having to save smartly from Evan Kelly.

Nonetheless, Tyrone moved two points clear in the 27th minute when Cush scored from play. It was to be the last time they held such an advantage. Once more, Meath built a high speed move which powered through to Tyrone's goalmouth, featuring handling by Callaghan, Reilly and Giles, who neatly placed Geraghty for a goal and he finished decisively to the net.

The sides were level at the interval after what had been a heard, physical 35 minutes which saw five players booked an two, Tyrone's McBride and Dooher, leaving the pitch to have their heads bandaged. Logan and Stephen Lawn were sent on for the second half, presumably to try and stiffen the northerners' physical challenge. Logan's display has been mentioned and whereas Lawn showed well for the ball, little came of it.

Meath's full back line was outstanding, particularly Martin O'Connell, who cleaned up lots of ball and provided watertight cover in the face of increasingly frenzied attacks frown Tyrone, who introduced Adrian Kilpatrick in a tailed attempt to provide similar bulk to McBride's while improving on the impact.

The final turning point although Meath were looking more and more in control came in the 58th minute when, with the scores at 1-10 to 0-10. Peter Canavan's best chance of maintaining his goal a match record was blocked amidst a goalmouth scramble. Meath hit back and Reilly pointed to send Meath four points clear.

It was the signal for the winners to cut loose. Trevor Giles, who had another effective match roaming the field from wing forward, started it with a point. Reilly, Callaghan and Geraghty followed suit before Geraghty, ending a superbly physical display of pace and immaculate finishing, pounced on a mix up between Logan and Fay Devlin and punched a hole in Tyrone's defence to set up Callaghan for a goal.

As a postscript, it's worth noting that three of Meaths forwards managed scores of 1-4, 1-3 and 0-5 from play and the team kicked only tour wides in the entire match.