All's not what it seems as Meath bid to end 61 year wait

Royals have not beaten Cavan in Breffni Park since 1965

There's an alarming stat doing the rounds that, at first sight, could strike fear into the hearts of Meath supporters ahead of Sunday's trip to Breffni Park for an NFL Div 2 clash with hosts Cavan.

Meath have not beaten Cavan in Breffni Park since a 2-9 to 1-6 NFL Div 2 win on Valentine's Day 1965 and there is certainly no love lost between the two neighbours in the 17 league meetings since that victory which was inspired by goals from Noel Curran (father of former Dublin player Paul) and Davy Carthy. Charlie Gallagher accounted for 1-4 of Cavan's tally that day.

Over 60 years is a long time to go without a win in Cavan GAA HQ, but closer examination of the games played between the two counties since shows that Breffni Park hosted only four of those games, while Meath did enjoy a win on Cavan soil in that spell when they beat their hosts by 2-8 to 0-9 in October 1982 in Kingscourt.

Of those four games played in Breffni Park between the two counties since 1965, Cavan won three of them, securing wins in October 1972, in 2003 and in 2018 when the Breffni boys won promotion to Div 1, while in 2024 Meath earned a 0-11 each draw with their hosts to secure their first point in the ground in 59 years.

The vast majority of the 17 games played between the sides in the league since '65 have been played in Pairc Tailteann with Meath winning six, Cavan claiming three victories and the game ending level three times.

So in fact Meath's record against Cavan since 1965 is in their favour, winning seven and drawing four of the 17 games with Cavan claiming six wins in that time.

The next time the sides met after 1965 was in October 1972 with Cavan securing a 1-6 to 0-4 victory over Meath in Breffni Park. Meath were relegated along with Laois that year, while Cavan finished fourth in Div 1.

The sides were paired in the same division again for the 1974/75 season with Meath earning a 2-7 to 2-4 in in Navan. Meath topped Div 2 and in those days that ensured a place in the overall league quarter-finals where the Royals beat Kerry. In the League semi-final Meath disposed of Mayo and claimed the league title with victory over Dublin.

It was another seven years before the sides met again in 1981 with Cavan securing a 0-11 to 0-7 win in Navan. Meath missed out on promotion, losing to Down in a play-off, while Cavan just about avoided relegation.

In October '82 Meath beat Cavan by 2-8 to 0-9 in Kingscourt and went on to secure promotion, while Cavan beat Wicklow in a play-off to avoid the drop.

Another 14 years passed before paths crossed again in the league in October 1996 with Meath earning a 1-9 to 2-6 draw in Navan before their team was depleted by lengthy suspensions imposed following the All-Ireland SFC final replay win over Mayo.

Mattie Kerrigan's Cavan coasted to a 1-16 to 0-7 home win over Meath in Div 1B in 2003 and the following year both counties were relegated, but Meath had the bragging rights after they had beaten Cavan 2-11 to 0-12 in Navan.

The following year Meath secured second place in Div 2B, just ahead of Cavan with their 0-17 to 0-14 win over their visitors in Navan proving decisive in the final game.

Both Meath and Cavan were promoted from Div 2B in '07 with Cavan's 0-13 to 2-7 draw in Navan playing a crucial role in ensuring top spot. However it was Meath who went on to win the Div 2 title with a final win over Roscommon.

A year later both sides found themselves still in Div 2, but Meath survived in the Division, helped by a 0-15 to 0-13 win over Cavan in Pairc Tailteann.

After being relegated to Div 3 in 2012, Meath bounced straight back up, finishing second to Monaghan despite losing to Cavan by 1-6 to 0-15 in Pairc Tailteann in March.

In 2015, Meath edged out their Breffni neighbours by 0-14 to 0-12 in Navan, but the following year Cavan exacted revenge with a 1-20 to 1-13 win over the Royals in Pairc Tailteann. Cavan won promotion that year.

In 2018 Cavan were promted back to Div 1 again and on their way to that promotion they defeated Meath by 2-14 to 1-12 in Breffni Park.

Six years later the counties renewed rivalries again with Meath earning that draw in Breffni in 2024 and in last year's Div 2 encounter the Royals scored an easy 3-21 to 0-20 victory.

Sunday sees the next instalment in the north-east rivalry and while Meath haven't won in Breffni Park in 61 years, all is not as bleak as that stat suggests.