When men were men and the football was tough, Cavan were the kingpins and Meath the challengers. The 1949 All-Ireland final drew nearly 80,000 spectators to a packed Croke Park as the neighbouring counties went toe to toe.

Meath were seeking their first All-Ireland while Cavan were defending champions and going for a famous three-in-a-row, having already four championships in the bag.

Match highlights are now on this Youtube clip and it gives us an idea of times past.

The Irish Press match report from 1949

Meath Win First All Ireland Title - Biggest Ever Crowd Saw Cavan Dethroned

Connell-Kearney, Key Stone of Victory

Meath........................................... 1-10
Cavan ........................................... 1-6

Meath's first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship came to them at Croke Park yesterday as the result of a pronounced superiority in all sections of the field and all phases of the game. Out sped, out caught and much inferior in kicking, the old champions, Cavan, had to give way to a rampant Meath fifteen which simply would not be denied the high honour they so deservedly won. The attendance - 79,460 - and gate receipts - £7,057 - were the highest ever at Croke Park, the previous bet being for the 1944 final when 79,245 spectators paid £6,470.

While they led from the second minute and never looked like losing, Meath had to fight hard for their laurels. Cavan tried every conceivable method of turning the trend of the game, but their best efforts were broken by a side that never relaxed from their splendid opening burst which, had we known it at the time, was really the winning of the game.

Hard, rather than brilliant, the hour was of interest all through. Even in the closing stages when Meath looked all-over winners there was always plenty of incident and few of the huge crowd left their places before the end.

This Meath team played fifty per cent above anything they had previously done this season and that was too good for Cavan. It is a long time since they were flurried into making so many mistakes, several of which were costly.

The eager, avid Meathmen marked closely, never letting the Cavan attackers develop their usual dangerous combined moves which again and again were thrown completely out of gear, while the Cavan backs were hurried into faulty clearances from which more than one Meath point ensued.

But the foundations of Meath's victory were laid at centre-field where Paddy Connell and Jim Kearney, right from the outset, had very much the better of the argument. So much on top were they that at half time, Tony Tighe was brought back to partner Phil Brady. This brought a little improvement but anything Cavan gained here was lost in the half forward line where Tighe had been, up to the time of his transfer the originator of most of his side's attacks.

Paddy Connell was beyond question the best mid-fielder on view. If he dropped one ball in the hour it escaped my notice. His kicking was in the super class, those long, raking balls falling repeatable into a sorely tried Cavan defence, and in time of need he was to be found helping his backs, his speed bringing him easily from one scene of action to another.

The day's work rounds off a wonderful season for Connell, who has been a stalwart for Meath ever since he came on as substitute to get the winning point against Louth.

His partner, Jim Kearney by his play completely justified the Meath selectors in their surprise decision to recall him. He has been referred to often as a veteran during the past week but showed no sign of it yesterday. He was the perfect complement to Connell and in addition to his great work in open play, his frees were splendidly taken.

This match may not be recalled in years to come as one of the great Finals but it certainly will be remembered not only because it brought Meath their long sought reward for years of heart breaking effort but also since it offered one of the finest exhibition of a perfectly fit side that has been seen in a long time.

The winners set off as if they had only ten minutes in which to get their scores, but to everybody's amazement the terrific pace was maintained, Meath actually getting better as time went on.

What helped them most was the absence of any weak link. Every man played his part, most rising far above any pervious form. Their catching was well-nigh, faultless and much better than that of their opponents. In a race for the ball, the Meathman was the winner four times out of five, while their kicking generally out distanced that of Cavan.

If there was one flaw, it was that they missed almost as many chances as they took, but this is not really surprising from a team that tore into everything with the utmost abandon.

By contrast, Cavan appeared to strike a completely off-day. From the very moment of the throw-in it was clear that the snap and precision of the familiar machine-like movements was missing Pass after pass was fumbled or intercepted. Mis-kicks made their appearance and though every man tried his best, we had not here the side which beat Mayo last year.

Several of the older players found the going too fast for their liking but it is to the credit of the whole fifteen that, on what was obviously not their day, they were able to keep the adverse balance down to very reasonable limits and until about ten minutes from time there was always the possibility that they might snatch a win, even against the total run of play.

I have said that Cavan deserved credit for keeping Meath's winning margin within bounds because, from a territorial point of view Meath's score should have been much higher.

They did almost three quarters of the pressing and while blemishes in their own finishing robbed them of several likely scores, it took all the courage and staying power of Cavan to stand up to what was, at times an incessant barrage.

An idea of Meath's grip on the game can be gathered from the fact that Cavan's first wide came in the twentieth minute and that all their points came from frees. Their goal also was the result of a free kick.

Kevin Smyth has often had more to do in Meath's goal. He was well covered by his backs, Mick and Paddy O'Brien and Kevin McConnell. I thought Mick O'Brien played his best match to date, and his namesake, apart from dropping one ball in the goal-mouth early on, well maintained the reputation he has made as a full back this year.

CAST IRON HALF BACKS
It was at half back that Meath excelled. Outstanding in a grand line was Paddy Dixon, who "Policed" Mick Higgins as well as that job has ever been done. With "Christo" Hand and Seamus Heery slamming into everything that came their way, this line was the rock on which many a likely Cavan move foundered.

No one forward of Meath can really be singled out as all played their parts nobly. Brian Smyth captain and schemer-in-chief, was here, there and everywhere, with each of his four points gems. There was real anticipation behind his positioning which had him right on the spot where the Cavan clearance fell when he got his first point. Another of his points from 45 yards out was as good as I have been seen in a long time.

He was flanked by two live-wires, Frankie Byrne and Matty McDonnell. Byrne's ability with frees brought three very useful points and apart from these his general play was fine.

The two corner forwards, Peter McDermott and Paddy Meegan showed too much speed and dash for the Cavan backs. McDermott was always seeking his score. Darting into the middle or across to the other wing, his every move spelt danger.

Meegan's speed and phenomenal and it was his approach work which directly led to Meath's goal. Bill Halpenny missed two good opportunities but his catching was a delight to see.

Few Cavan players reached anything like their usual form, Phil Duke and Edwin Carolan being about the best.

Tony Tighe opened well but was little seen in the later stages while Higgins, apart from his well-taken goal, found the close attention of Dixon too much for him.

J.J. Cassidy tried hard as did Joe Stafford while Peter Donohoe's frees were generally well up to standard. One in the second half, from a most acute angle was a real "Donohoe Special".

Of the backs Phil Duke stood out in a not too steady half back line. Paddy Smith did best of the fulls, and Seamus Morris stopped a lot of hard shots.

In the first half, a Cavan switch brought Tony Tighe to mid-field. Victor Sherlock to left half forward and John Joe Cassidy to right half forward.

After the interval, Paddy Meegan and Frankie Byrne changed places on the right flank of Meath's attack.

Towards the end of the hour Frankie Byrne (Meath) went off injured and was replaced by Pat Carolan.

Meath - K. Smyth, M. O'Brien, P. O'Brien, K. McConnell, S. Heery, P. Dixon, C. Hand, J. Kearney, P. Connell, F. Byrne, B. Smyth (capt), M McDonnell, P. Meegan, W. Halpenny, P. McDermott.

Cavan - S. Morris, J. McCabe, P. Smith, O. R. McGovern, P. J. Duke, J. J. O'Reilly (Capt), S. Deignan, P. Brady, V. Sherlock, T. Tighe, M. Higgins, J. J. Cassidy, J. Stafford, P. Donohoe, E. Carolan.
Referee - D. Ryan ( Kerry).

First to score, Meath were never caught
A Tighe-Cassidy move was stopped and Meath swept up for the opening score, Matty McDonnell pointing in the second minute. Good work by Frankie Byrne and Brian Smyth led up to this score.

Meath kept up the pressure and a well placed free by Frankie Byrne was punched out by Morris, but Brian Smyth fastened on the clearance and had a fine point.

Bill Halpenny blazed wide when well positioned for a goal, and in a Cavan attack, Higgins was fouled and Peter Donohoe opened his side's account with a point from the free.

This was answered by a similar score from Frankie Byrne but a movement by Tighe and Stafford led to a free, and another point to Donohoe. Again Frankie Byrne from a free, kept Meath two points ahead.

Seamus Morris pulled down a hot drive from Halpenny who had hard luck a moment later when a punched ball just struck the side rigging of the net. Paddy Connell, broke up a likely-looking move by Brady and Cassidy and Meath had a bad moment when Paddy O'Brien dropped a ball in his own square but the backs effected a clearance.

At the other end PJ Duke nipped in just in time to put a dangerous ball to safety but in the 18th minute Brian Smyth placed Paddy Meegan for a point.

John Joe O'Reilly had a good chance when he cut through from centre clearance.
At the other end PJ Duke nipped in just in time to put a dangerous ball to safety but in the 18th minute Brian Smyth placed Paddy Meegan for a point.

John Joe O'Reilly had a good chance when he cut through from centrefield, but shot wide. An effort by Phil Brady was well covered by Kevin Smyth, and his opposite number, Seamus Morris took down a hot one from Paddy Connell. Brian Smyth snapped up another weak Cavan clearance and pointed.

Another free to Cavan gave Donohoe his third point of the half hour but just before the interval Brian Smyth with a 45 yard kick put Meath four points in the lead leaving the half time score: Meath 0-7; Cavan 0-3.

Cavan broke away on the resumption and Kevin Smyth conceded a '50' when Victor Sherlock sent in a good drive, Peter Donohoe pointed from a free and Frankie Byrne did likewise for Meath.

Joe Stafford was pulled down and Donohoe again pointed.

From a very acute angle, Donohoe brought his total of points from frees up to six, after which two 50s to Meath brought no result.

In Cavan's next attack Higgins was fouled, and Donohoe might easily have taken a point, but sent the ball low and wide.

Pat Dixon blocked Cavan's next raid and Paddy Meegan went off on a 30 yard hand to toe run. His shot was accurate; Morris fell with the ball but it rolled loose and Bill Halpenny crashed home a goal.

Edwin Carolan was then fouled when going through and Donohoe's free went to Joe Stafford from whose pass Mick Higgins had a fine goal. Only two points now separated the sides and the going was fairly strenuous.

A free to Meath yielded another point to Frankie Byrne. Broken time was being played when Christy Hand made an opening for Paddy Connell to get a point and, with a four point lead at this stage, Meath were unbeatable. Tweet

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