Ready for a Royal test of character

Most people have made Dublin favourites to beat Meath in Sunday's Leinster football quarter-final at Croke Park but the 19-point win over Longford on May 15th is unlikely to make the players over-confident or complacent about their old rivals.

Most of this Dublin team played against Meath in the 2002 championship clash and since then there have been costly lessons against Laois in 2003, and Westmeath last year.

"We were very happy to get the first game out of the way, and delighted with the result," says forward Colin Moran of the win over Longford. "But as soon as we got back to the dressingroom there was a realisation that the real test was still to come, and Meath were going to be a totally different proposition.

"We were back at the training ground on the Tuesday night, and everything we've done since then has been working towards the Meath game. I think we've been quite focused about it. We'll have no problem getting in the right frame of mind for the game."

Moran is well positioned to sum up the mood in the panel. He was there three years ago, scoring 0-4, when Dublin produced their first victory over Meath since 1995. Like most of his team-mates he's faced the hype before, but has little concern about stage fright. "Playing Meath is always a big, big occasion. You can already feel it around the city, because there's always massive hype whenever we play Meath. It's something special, and a great occasion just to be a part of."

The last time they met Meath were fancied to win, but both counties have seen their reputations as perennial Leinster contenders decline since then. But again Moran is acutely aware what happened three years ago will have little or no bearing on Sunday.

"Three years ago we had the dream start when Ray Cosgrove got a goal very early on, and played very well for the first half. Going into the last quarter Meath started cutting into our lead and fighting back, like they usually do. I did start thinking 'here we go again'. Then we got a lucky goal on the break, and that was enough to bring us home.

"Most of this Dublin team are that bit older now, but we know as well we've been our own worst enemy at critical stages. We're hoping we can eradicate all that over the summer, but Meath will be the biggest test of our character and composure in a long while."

Moran has an added incentive to produce a big game on Sunday - and not just because he turns 25 the following day. He's had to fight his way back into the Dublin team after an eight-month lay-off with a broken arm sustained just under a year ago.

"We'd lost to Westmeath, and had just beaten London, and were playing a challenge against Limerick in St David's in Artane. I was hit from the blind side, just didn't see it coming, and next thing I knew I was on the ground in agony. The doctor knew straight away it was serious."

It turned out to be three clean breaks, and forced Moran to sit out the rest of the summer and the rest of the club season. He made his return to competitive football in round three of the National League on March 5th, appearing as a substitute against Kerry.

"It was a very difficult time, because I missed the good club run with Ballyboden St Enda's. And it was a slow process, first of all to rehabilitate the arm, and then get back to full fitness. I couldn't do anything at all for the first couple of months. The pins and the plates remain there for good.

"But as soon as Paul Caffrey took over he was in touch, and got up to speed with my recovery process. And he was encouraging me all the way. But he was there when the injury happened, so I was happy to see him take over, because he knew exactly where I was coming from him. But he was still very patient with me, because it did take quite a while to get match fit again. Hopefully I can repay some of that faith over the summer."

Moran, who spent most of the Tommy Lyons era in the half-back line, is back playing in the half-forward line alongside Alan Brogan and Bryan Cullen, two players who mirror his versatility. He believes his arm is as strong as it's even been, but he declines to say whether it's the left or right - he's not about to give his opponents any weak spot to aim for.