Christy O'Connor: Ulster teams torture Royals, except on semi-final day

Meath are underdogs against Donegal, but they don't lose semi-finals to Ulster sides

ROYAL RUMBLE: Meath's Graham Geraghty charges past prone Tyrone players in the 1996 All-Ireland SFC semi-final at Croke Park. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Historical Fact – Meath don’t lose semi-finals to Ulster teams 

In the rich annals of Meath football, the 1996 All-Ireland semi-final victory over Tyrone still stands out as a defining chapter in that modern history. Written off beforehand, Meath produced one of the greatest performances in Croke Park of that era, of any era, with a devastating fusion of fast and powerful football.