Meath have to put their best foot forward against Dublin in tomorrow's Leinster SFC semi-final at Croke Park, insists Ciaran Whelan.

The Royals will travel to GAA headquarters more in hope than expectation and, writing in The Irish Independent, the former Dublin midfielder states:"If Meath are happy to come to Croke Park with an objective of damage limitation and go back down the road with a 'moral victory', they may raise the white flag now.

"Alternatively they can come and trust their game-plan, have a cut off the Dubs and give themselves a chance of causing an upset. They still remain the team in Leinster that have got closest to Dublin during Jim Gavin's reign. They came to Croke Park for the 2013 Leinster Final and lost by seven points (2-15 to 0-14), fading in the last quarter.

"That day they pressurised the Dublin kickout successfully for long periods, dominated midfield in the first half and caused the Dublin full-back line some trouble. Graham Reilly and Eamon Wallace are perfected moulded to bring pace to the Meath counter-attack and Michael Newman has the game in his locker to ask questions of the Dublin full-back line."

The 'Sunday Game' pundit adds: "Whilst this may be looking at the game optimistically for Meath, it is all easier said than done for the Royal County.

"Dublin are a different animal to the 2013 model and there have been no signs of their desire and hunger wilting in recent months."

Keep up-to-date will all the championship action this weekend on our Match Trackers.

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