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Dublin and Meath meet for the 65th time in senior football championship action this Sunday in Croke Park (4.30).
Dublin's record currently stands at 37 victories, 19 loses and eight draws in SFC games against Meath.
They last clashed in championship action last November in the Leinster decider with Dublin lifting the Delaney Cup - they had also clashed in Division 1 of the league just a month earlier.
Meath's last championship victory over Dublin was in 2010 when they won 5-9 to 0-13 in Croke Park.
Here we look back at the counties' most recent SFC meetings as well as last year's league encounter.
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2020 LEINSTER SFC FINAL
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21: Croke Park
DUBLIN 3-21 MEATH 0-9
Dublin secured their tenth Delaney Cup in succession with a commanding 21-point victory over Meath in this Leinster SFC final at Croke Park.
Dessie Farrell’s men showed great precision and work-rate and set about their task of winning from the opening whistle.
Dean Rock’s eighth minute goal, a superb team move from a Stephen Cluxton kickout, put the Dubs on their way as it ignited a scoring sequence of 2-10 before the half-time interval.
The Dublin captain’s kickout was brilliantly fetched by Con O’Callghan who fed Niall Scully, the Templeogue Synge Street man released Brian Fenton who squared the ball to Rock who finished clinically.
Paddy Small, Ciarán Kilkenny and Dean Rock added points and by the first water break were 1-6 to 0-2 up.
Dublin maintained their scoring streak after the short break with Seán Bugler hitting the second goal in the 23rd minute – another incisive move with wing-back Robbie McDaid covering great ground. By the half-time break Dublin led 2-12 to 0-2.
The sight of Dublin forwards working back deep in their own defence was a clear sign of their willingness to work hard as the Meath side, who had tallied 12 goals in their previous championship games in this campaign, had their routes to goal shut down.
Meath had early chances but Dublin tackled in numbers and generally closed down the opportunities quickly as they went another Leinster SFC game without conceding a goal.
And when the opportunity did arrive for Meath sub Joey Wallace late in the second half Stephen Cluxton pulled off an excellent save to deny him from close range.
In added time Dublin got their third goal – a brilliant run by Kevin McManamon saw him through on goal, his attempt was parried by keeper Mark Brennan but Niall Scully was on hand to sweep the rebound to the net.
Dublin manager Dessie Farrell said his team were determined to mark the 100th anniversary of Bloody Sunday with a victory.
"Obviously it's a huge occasion for the GAA," said Dublin manager Dessie Farrell.
"In some ways, what happened here 100 years ago is very much part and parcel of our identity as an organisation. We touched on it during the week about the importance of the night and the commemoration and we just felt in our own small way that it was important to recognise the people who perished on that night and (who were) struck down in very sad circumstances, and to just take the opportunity to be grateful for all we have and the opportunity that we've been provided by all those who have gone before us, our forefathers and people like who were killed here 100 years ago."
The Dublin boss acknowledged afterwards that this display was the best of his reign so far – seven league games and three in the championship.
"It was, yeah. Obviously Meath had put together some very good performances, we got a sample of it in Parnell Park a couple of weeks back in the league. They will probably count themselves unlucky not to have got more out of that game on that night. So we were ready for a big challenge here for sure.
"We knew we'd have to step it up for a Leinster final and based on what we'd seen from Meath they were coming in very confident, had been bagging a lot of goals, were on the crest of a wave so it was definitely going to focus the minds for sure. I think we saw a pretty decent and focused performance from us tonight which was very pleasing."
SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 1-7 (0-5f, 0-1 45), S Bugler 1-2, C Kilkenny 0-4, N Scully 1-1, P Small 0-3 (0-2m), C O’Callaghan 0-2, J Small, P Mannion (0-1f) 0-1 each. Meath: J Morris 0-4 (0-1f), B Menton, T O’Reilly (0-1f), C O’Sullivan, J Scully, J Wallace (0-1m) 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; J Cooper, M Fitzsimons, D Byrne; E Murchan, R McDaid, J Small; B Fenton, J McCarthy; N Scully, C Kilkenny, S Bugler; P Small, C O’Callaghan, D Rock. Subs: B Howard for Cooper (ht, inj), P Mannion for P Small (42), E Lowndes for J Small (53), C Costello for O’Callaghan (59), K McManamon for Kilkenny (65).
MEATH: M Brennan; R Ryan, C McGill, S Lavin; D Toner, D Keogan, M Costello; B Menton, R Jones; C O’Sullivan, B McMahon, S McEntee; J Morris, S Walsh, T O’Reilly. Subs: C Hickey for Toner (44), E Harkin for McGill (44), E Devine for Costello (46, inj), J Scully for McMahon (52), J Wallace for O’Reilly (53).
REF: D O’Mahoney (Tipperary).
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2020 FL DIVISION 1 ROUND 6
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17: Parnell Park
DUBLIN 1-20 MEATH 0-19
A historic night at Parnell Park to mark the restart of intercounty action as Dublin held off a defiant Meath at the Donnycarney venue in Round 6 of the Football League Division 1.
Two all-time Dublin senior football records were broken on Saturday night with Dean Rock surpassing Jimmy Keaveney as the county’s top scorer (combined NFL and SFC).
Jimmy Keaveney (30-402, 104 games) had held the record since his decorated playing days in the 1970s but Rock’s 1-8 on Saturday night saw him move to a tally of 17-450 (95 games).
Stephen Cluxton broke the record held by Johnny McDonnell as the county's longest serving footballer at senior level.
Johnny's career spanned from mid July 1919 to late May 1938 and on Saturday night Cluxton added that record to his incredible collection having first feature for the seniors in the summer of 2001.
It was a mixed display from Dessie Farrell’s men – opening very brightly, leading by seven points after 25 minutes but having to battle to the finish to see off Meath who got within a point by the eighth minute of the second half.
Dublin opened impressively to lead 1-4 to 0-1 inside ten minutes after Shane Walsh had opened the scoring for the Royal County.
Dean Rock’s eighth minute goal, after being played through on the ground by club-mate Paddy Small, saw him break Jimmy Keaveney’s record and he added two points soon after with Con O’Callaghan and Ciarán Kilkenny Dublin’s other scorers.
Dublin’s other record-breaker, Stephen Cluxton, had a busy enough night as Meath put pressure on his kickouts to good effect at times while he showed great alertness on several occasions as Meath threatened to strike for goal including late in the opening half when he denied Cathal Hickey from close range.
Paddy Small kicked two fine first half points for Dublin with Brian Fenton doing well at midfield but it was their opponents who concluded the first half on the up with four converted frees in-a-row from Thomas O’Reilly to leave it 1-10 to 0-10 at half-time.
A stylish left-footed point from Brian Fenton within a minute of the restart moved Dublin four clear but Meath were very much in contention following points from Cillian O'Sullivan and Thomas O'Reilly (both frees) as well as another from Shane Walsh.
Walsh went close to goaling for Meath in the 47th minute but his shot from close range hit the side-netting.
It was a let off for the Dubs and four converted Dean Rock frees over the next ten minutes helped them regain their clear goal advantage.
Dublin had introduced Brian Howard, who brought ball-winning ability and industry to the middle third and with Con O'Callaghan and Ciarán Kilkenny both kicking two points over the close of the game, Con showing great determination to keep the ball in play for his team-mate's fourth point of the night, they secured both league points.
SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 1-8 (0-5f), C O’Callaghan C Kilkenny 0-4 (0-1m) 0-4 each, B Fenton, P Small 0-2 each. Meath: T O’Reilly 0-6 (0-6f), S Walsh 0-4, C O’Sullivan 0-3 (0-2f), J Morris 0-2, B Menton, E Harkin, B Conlon, J Conlon 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; M Fitzsimons, D Byrne, C Murphy; J Cooper, J Small, R McDaid; B Fenton, E Ó Conghaile; E Lowndes, C Kilkenny, N Scully; P Small, C O’Callaghan, D Rock. Subs: E Murchan for Cooper (46), B Howard for O Conghaile (48), C O’Sullivan for J Small (53), A Byrne for P Small (62), S Bugler for Lowndes (70).
MEATH: M Brennan; D Toner, J McEntee, E Harkin, C Hickey, G McCoy, D Keogan; B Menton, R Jones; S McEntee, J Scully, E Devine; S Walsh, C O’Sullivan, T O’Reilly. Subs: J Morris for Devine (30), B Conlon for McCoy (39), D Campion for Scully (53), J Conlon for Walsh (60), D Lenihan for O’Reilly (66).
REF: B Cawley (Kildare).
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2019 LEINSTER SFC FINAL
SUNDAY, JUNE 23: Croke Park
DUBLIN 1-17 MEATH 0-4
Dublin footballers made history when becoming the first county to win nine provincial senior men's championship titles in-a-row when defeating Meath in this Leinster SFC final at Croke Park in front of an attendance of 47,027.
The Dubs were by far the slicker and more clinical side as they turned possession into scores, however, the first half injury sustained by James McCarthy cast a shadow over Dublin's victory.
In a peculiar opening half both sides took time to settle before Ciarán Kilkenny opened the scoring in the 12th minute.
Flying wing-back Jack McCaffrey torched his way through the Meath defence to fire over as Dublin began to move into gear.
Cormac Costello converted a '45' before points from Paul Mannion and Brian Howard made it 0-5 to 0-0 after 24 minutes.
Mannion's score underlined Dublin's threat when going direct as Stephen Cluxton found Philly McMahon at midfield on the Cusack Stand side with a superb clearance, he in turn found Mannion one-on-one in the right corner and the Kilmacud Crokes man did the rest in trademark fashion.
Dublin missed a penalty in the 26th minute when Mannion hit the butt of the post at the Hill 16 end after Con O'Callaghan had been fouled.
In the 33rd minute Bryan Menton eventually got the Royals off the mark with a point after they had squandered several frees and opportunities from open play earlier in the half.
After leading 0-5 to 0-1 at the break Jack McCaffrey was not long in the second half showing his pace again, this time fisted over after angling through on goal.
Cormac Costello converted frees either side of a Mickey Newman free for Meatth.
Dublin then began to put the outcome out of sight with points from Philly McMahon, an excellent Mannion strike with Brian Fenton, Mannion again, Dean Rock and Paddy Andrews all on target.
Rock tallied 0-4 (0-1f) after being introduced in the 51st minute for Brian Howard.
With two minutes of normal time to play, slick interplay between Kevin McManamon and Dean Rock released Con O'Callaghan who drilled a shot low to the corner of Andrew Colgan's net for the only goal of the game.
SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-4 (0-1f), C O'Callaghan 1-0, C Costello (0-2f, 0-1 '45'), P Mannion 0-3 each, J McCaffrey 0-2, C Kilkenny, B Howard, P McMahon, B Fenton, P Andrews 0-1 each. Meath: M Newman 0-3 (0-1f), B Menton 0-1.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, M Fitzsimons, J McCaffrey; D Byrne, C O'Sullivan, J Small; B Fenton, J McCarthy; N Scully, C Kilkenny, B Howard; C Costello, P Mannion, C O'Callaghan. Subs: MD Macauley for McCarthy (32), D Rock for Howard (51), K McManamon for Costello (58), P Small for Kilkenny (61), P Andrews for P Small (64), R O'Carroll for McCaffrey (67).
MEATH: A Colgan; S Lavin, C McGill, S Gallagher; J McEntee, D Keogan, R Ryan; B Menton, S McEntee; C O'Sullivan, B McMahon, G Reilly; B Brennan, J Conlon, M Newman. Subs: S Tobin for Brennan (38), E Devine for Reilly (40), T O'Reilly for Conlon (53), B Dardis S McEntee (58), S Curran for Gallagher (65), T McGovern for McMahon (65).
REF: S Hurson (Tyrone).
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2016 LEINSTER SFC SEMI-FINAL
SUNDAY, JUNE 26: Croke Park
DUBLIN 0-21 MEATH 0-11
Dublin strode into another Leinster final, where they went on to face Westmeath, following this comfortable provincial semi-final win over Meath at Croke Park.
Like in their quarter-final victory over Laois the accuracy of Dean Rock and Diarmuid Connolly was central to Dublin's victory against a defensive-minded Royal County.
Meath started the better and led 0-3 to 0-1 inside ten minutes they also had an early goal-scoring opportunity but first Stephen Cluxton and then David Byrne denied Dalton McDonagh.
Goal-scoring chances were few and far between as Meath deployed Pádraic Harnan in front of their own full-back line to cut out the shortest route to goal.
It was a tactic that was successful in denying the Dubs of a goal for the game but Meath failed up front to really cause Dublin too many problems after their early scoring flurry - they only scored three points in the second half with the last of these coming from sub Ronan Jones deep in injury-time.
After their slow start two Dean Rock frees in the 12th and 14th minute had Dublin level before great interplay culminated in a fine Brian Fenton point to put Dublin ahead.
Dublin continued to hold the upperhand but at times were struggling to show their usual accuracy into a difficult wind.
Points from Paul Flynn, following good work by Connolly and Kevin McManamon, and Bernard Brogan nosed Dublin 0-7 to 0-4 clear by the 23rd minute.
By the interval Dublin led 0-11 to 0-8 and looked comfortable enough with wind advantage to come.
Dublin restarted well with two Rock points, one a free, and before the midpoint of the half further scores from Brogan and two more from Rock, the second a free following a foul on Paul Flynn had Jim Gavin's men 0-16 to 0-9 clear by the 50th minute.
SCORERS - Dublin: D Rock 0-10 (0-9f), D Connolly 0-4, B Brogan 0-3, P Flynn 0-2, P Mannion, B Fenton 0-1 each. Meath: M Newman 0-4 (0-3f), G Reilly 0-3, C O'Sullivan 0-2 (0-1f), E Wallace, R Jones 0-1 each.
DUBLIN: S Cluxton; P McMahon, J Cooper, D Byrne; J McCarthy, C O'Sullivan, J Small; B Fenton, D Bastick; P Flynn, K McManamon, C Kilkenny; D Rock, D Connolly, B Brogan. Subs: MD Macauley for Bastick (ht), P Mannion for Brogan (53), P Andrews for McManamon (58), E Lowndes for Small (60), M Fitzsimons for O'Sullivan (63), C O'Callaghan for Flynn (67).
MEATH: P O'Rourke; D Tobin, D Keogan, M Burke; D Smyth, P Harnan, A Douglas; H Rooney, C O'Brien, G Reilly, C O'Sullivan, E Wallace; D McDonagh, A Tormey, M Newman. Subs: R Jones for Tormey (53), S Lavin for E Wallace (54),S Tobin for McDonagh (60), J Wallace for Reilly (63), C Finn for Douglas (67), B McMahon for O'Sullivan (67).
REF: R Hickey (Clare).
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