Can Cork-Meath rivalry return like it's 1999?

In Pairc Ui Chaoimh on Sunday, a narrative continues. The Allianz League returns as the inter-county season finds its feet. Colm O'Rourke makes his competitive bow as Meath manager, against an old foe he knows all too well.

The Royals-Rebels battles of the 1980s are the thing of legend but a decade later the counties would meet in another All-Ireland final.

The 1999 All-Ireland Final: Meath 1-11 Cork 1-08. There the game ended. But the story lies within the game and four players at the centre of it all.

Trevor Giles and Ollie Murphy of Meath. Cork’s Kevin O’Dwyer and Joe Kavanagh. These are their vantage points.

Trevor Giles (Meath)

Trevor Giles was 13-years-old in 1988. Just like in 1987, he travelled from Skryne in Meath to Dublin. On both occasions, Cork were the opposition, and on both occasions, Cork were defeated.

With this type of background, was there a pressure going into the 1999 All-Ireland Final?

"I don’t remember there being a lot of pressure. What I remember is that I had lost an All-Ireland Colleges final for St Pat’s, Navan against St Fachtna’s in Skibbereen (West Cork). Kevin O’Dwyer was in goal for St Fachtna’s.

"In the 1993 All-Ireland Minor final, we lost to Cork.

"Then it came to the ’99 final and I thought, I’ve lost two All-Ireland finals to Cork teams, is this going to happen again?"

You miss the penalty, how hard is it to bounce back?

"It was just after half-time, so I suppose you had a bit of time to redeem yourself.

"I’d say the last 15 minutes, there were a few breaking balls around the middle of the field that I managed to get my hands on and got some ball into Graham (Geraghty) inside."

What of Geraghty’s contribution? A man for the big occasion?

"Graham could play a league game and he mightn’t kill