One change as Royals all set for Dublin test

On Tuesday evening (tonight) plenty of Meath supporters will venture to Parnell Park for the Royals’ Leinster MFC semi-final clash with Dublin.

After the opening two rounds, nobody would have predicted that Trevor Giles’ young army would be the last Meath team left standing in Leinster competition.

In their last three outings combined, Meath have registered 17-61 and have defeated Laois by 33 points, Wicklow by 36 points and Offaly by 22 points.

Given that three of the four semi-finalists, Meath, Louth and Kildare all came from group one, it is quite difficult to really know where Meath’s opponents Dublin are form-wise at the moment.

The Dubs qualified automatically for the semi-final when they topped group two. Their victory over Longford was impressive but the two games before that would not strike fear into Giles and his managment team.

Dublin were not overly convincing against an Offaly side that Meath dismantled before they suffered a defeat to Westmeath.

The longer road that Meath travelled to get to the semi-final may just stand to the Royals against a Dublin side who, in comparison, may be lacking a bit of sharpness having not had a competitive outing in almost a month.

Never count out the Dubs but the Royal faithful can travel to the capital with a nice level of confidence on Tuesday evening (tonight) for the 7.30pm throw-in.

Meath (starting 15 for night’s Leinster MFC semi-final against Dublin in Parnell Park): Cormac Fitzsimons; Ben Browne, Tomás Clarke, Niall Rogan; Liam O'Donoghue, Harry McGuirk, Niall Smyth; John Killoran, Tomás Proudfoot; Cormac McKenna, Conn Brennan, Alex Keane; Cormac Walsh, Milo Stafford, Dara Loughran.