GAELIC GAMES/Championship 2002: Ian O'Riordan talks to the Dublin captain ahead of yet another epic encounter against an old rival

Dublin footballers could almost be born with memories of playing Meath in the championship. Those days when it seemed even destiny couldn't break the two counties apart just kept running into another, and for a while there, no player needed any introduction.

When they meet again in Croke Park on Sunday that rivalry, at least for Dublin, will be a little less heated. For every Dublin player that's never won against Meath in the championship, there now seems to be one that's never lost, simply because they haven't yet played them.

Even Dublin captain Coman Goggins struggles a bit to stir up talk of the Meath rivalry. Although he's now a firm fixture at corner back, Goggins has only slim memories of those mid-90 battles. In those days he wasn't thinking much about playing for Dublin, let alone playing against Meath.

"Looking back it seems there were a lot more years when Dublin and Meath would be hopping off each other four or five times in the one season," he says. "People either loved or hated that, but maybe the younger players don't feel that now.

"There are a lot of players there like Alan Brogan and Barry Cahill who have never lost to Meath. And then we have the likes of Ciaran Whelan and Darren Homan who have been there a long while and never beaten Meath.

"But I don't think it's any sort of psychological barrier. It's just a lack of performance on the field that has cost us games, and not just playing Meath. Right now it would just be nice to beat one of the top teams, that's all."

Goggins has his own reasons to be undaunted by the Meath rivalry. Though he never played underage for the county his rise to the top has been swift and unquestioned. When new manager Tommy Lyons handed him the captaincy last month it was merely an addition to his list of honours: All Star, International Rules star, and the first Ballinteer-St John's man to play senior for Dublin.

As a youngster though his Roscommon-born father had him thinking about the west. He grew up on tales of Roscommon football, was dolled up in the gold and blue for the 1980 final and modelled his game then on Harry Keegan in the corner. He went west, too, for a trial as a teenager but never made any breakthrough.

Still he never totally forgot about playing for Dublin, even though Dublin had practically forgotten about him. He was asked once to play under-21 for Dublin but he told them he was a year too old. So Tommy Carr pulled him out of nowhere in the summer of 2000 and he hasn't looked back since. "I did get a chance once with the Dublin juniors through JJ Martin," he says, "and then played a lot of Sigerson football, and I suppose all that helped get me to this stage. I wasn't as built up then as I am now either, but you just have to keep trying, because if you give up on it then, you'll definitely never get there."

Like most of this Dublin team he only has second-hand talk of Dublin success. There are only slim memories of the 1995 peak, and not just because of the seven-year gap. "Well I was on the Hill that day, but a bit blurry-eyed cause we'd had an early start in town. On the Cokes, obviously.

"But it was a great day. People say we came very close to success last year but you can talk all you want about ifs and buts. You know, close but no cigar. But if you knew what was going to happen on the day there'd be no point togging out.

"It has been a long time now without success, but winning the Leinster title is the only thing we can think about at the minute. Meath is a giant obstacle in the way, and after that we'll have Offaly or Kildare, which is another huge obstacle. The fact that it has been seven years puts a bit of pressure on us too."

The captaincy in his mid-20s is purely an honour, and certainly no added pressure: "Well I only lasted 25 minutes below in Wexford before getting injured, so I haven't got the full run yet. But I suppose it will make a big difference when I run out in Croke Park on Sunday. Of course I was surprised when Tommy named me captain, and I'd never have thought of going looking for it."

The injuries, meanwhile, have been landing almost as fast as his honours. A twisted ankle stopped him early in the Wexford game, as it has many times before, but he gave it a good run out at the weekend and he's optimistic now he'll be at his best for Sunday.

"I must have two glass ankles. Any blade of grass there I seem to fall over it. And it was tough coming off against Wexford because we were concerned."

So by Sunday evening then they'll all have had memories of playing Meath. Having diverged into journalism (and since into banking), Goggins knows the dangers of predictions: "These are the sort of games where the form book goes out the window. It's usually a kick of the ball between these teams, and if you can stay close enough you're always in with a shout. But you need your bit of luck on the day as well."