This day, September 18th 1988, 31 years ago Meath and Cork met for the second year running to decide the destination of the 'new' Sam Maguire Cup. 

An extract from Royal County Meath Yearbook sums up that nerve wrecking hour for Meath supporters. It finished Meath 0-12 Cork 1-9 and the two teams would have to do it all over again 3 week later.

During the weeks prior interest and colour was not the same fever pitch as in '87 but then around Thursday it clicked. The flags and bunting came out and nothing mattered but the match. Would Tompkins last the hour? Team selection was no surprise. Perhaps there was room for Coyle. Conditions on the day are near perfect. Cork support go to the Canal End while the Meath hordes pack the Hill a la 87. The Kerry minors set events rolling and surprise the more physical Dubs. Could this be another fine team in the making?

Again Meath settle slowly. Too slow. Allen picks McCarthy out with a cross field ball and the Meath net rocks. Cork press again but the Royal County steady. O'Rourke and Beggy link up well and cause problems for the Munster XV. Harnan never gives Tomkins a smell of the ball. O'Rourke from play and Stafford from placed balls point the way. McEntee and Hayes rule the roost at Midfield. Meath go in ahead. The breeze to come. Everything looks rosy.

But Morgan and his boys think otherwise. A number of switches. Tomkins comes to midfield - escaping the clutches of Harnan. Allen and barry forage deep for possession. Cork start to move the ball wide down the flanks. Tomkins hamstring and all has the freedom of Croke Park. He picks of a string of glorious points. Gerry suffers an injury in a collision with Fahy and the big Lily White starts to turn the midfield screws. McGrath now at right full forward has Padraig Lyons for pace. Cork equalise, go in front and go further in front. Gillic is brought out to counteract Tomkins. It works to a degree. Meath grit their teeth and a heroic fightback commences. 

Then those final nerve wrecking moments.

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