With the Covid 19 Lockdown extended for another three weeks and with no sign of the GAA calendar resuming we, with the assistance of Royal County Meath GAA Yearbook and the Hoganstand.com archives, will revisit some memorable moments on the Meath club and county scene over the past 20 years.

This day 20 years ago Meath qualified for the National Football League final with a fully merited win over Kerry.

1999 All Ireland champions Meath defeated Clare in the opening round but lost out to Sligo and Fermanagh before the Christmas break. 

Before the league reconvened on February 13th, 2000, an 80 strong travelling party consisting of players, management, Co. Board officials, wives, and girlfriends headed for Asia for a well earned break in Dubai as a reward for winning the All Ireland.

The break done Sean Boylan's outfit the world of good and when the league resumed Meath beat Down, Mayo and Kildare and drew with Derry to earn their place, on score difference, in the semi final played on April 23rd at a sun drenched Thurles.

Those who made the trip to Tipp for the semi final witnessed one of the best game of football seen for a while.

The forward play in particular was exhibition stuff at times. As so often before Trevor Giles loaded the bullets and Geraghty and Murphy dispatched them with assassin like precision.

One Kerry supporter at the final whistle begged the question "what can you do when they bring the likes of McDermott, Traynor, O'Reilly, Kelly and O'Callaghan off the bench?"

Kerry started well and were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after 7 minutes but goals from Ollie Murphy and Donal Curtis put Meath in the lead. Kerry hit back and led 0-13 to 2-3 at the break.

With 15 minutes remaining Paidi O'Sé's charges were still in control and led 1-17 to 2-7. 

Enter Giles, Geraghty and Murphy. 

Points from Giles and Murphy before a Geraghty goal narrowed the gap to three. Giles kicked another point before Barry Callaghan got Meath's 4th goal. Further points from Geraghty and Murphy completed yet another miraculous Meath comeback.

Meath took on Derry in the final and after a 1-12 each draw in Croke Park lost the replay 1-8 to 0-9 in Clones.

The Meath team that defeated Kerry: Cormac Sullivan, Paul Shankey, Darren Fay, Cormac Murphy, Richie Kealy, Anthony Moyles, Paddy Reynolds, Nigel Crawford, Nigel Nestor, Donal Curtis 1-1, Jody Devine, Trevor Giles 0-3, Ollie Murphy 1-2, Graham Geraghty 1-4, Ronan Fitzsimons. Subs: Hank Traynor, John McDermott, Mark O'Reilly, Evan Kelly, Barry Callaghan

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