By Shaun Casey

THE match-up of Down against Meath will ignite memories of days gone by, of glory years shared by both counties. But this weekend’s meeting is a far cry from their 1991 All-Ireland final clash, when the Mourne men claimed the Sam Maguire for the fourth time in their history.

Pete McGrath’s men defeated a Meath side featuring in their fourth All-Ireland decider in five years.

But Down, along with their opponents this weekend, have fallen quite a bit since that Croke Park meeting over 30 years ago.

At present, the pair are lingering around the bottom of the second division after disastrous starts to the season.

Down have suffered back-to-back loses to Derry and Galway, the two favourites to earn promotion to the top tier.

It was a tough start to the campaign for the Mourne men, but this weekend presents an opportunity to get their season up and running as they face the Royals in Navan on Sunday.

Pádraic Joyce’s Galway also handed out an unforgiving hammering to Meath, while Roscommon downed the Royals as well

Down are just outside the regelation zone due to points difference, and they’ll want to keep Meath below them for as long as possible. Offaly currently prop up the table after also opening with two losses.

Down will be without the Kilcoo contingent as the Magpies are still in party mode following their All-Ireland success last weekend.

Perhaps that victory will spark a turnaround in Down football. If they can grab a win this weekend and hope some of the Kilcoo lads return in the coming weeks, things may start to look a bit more positive and their intentions of staying in the second division will be strengthened.

Navan is a difficult place to go looking points however so McCartan’s men will have to be on top of their game if they are to get the win the county desperately craves.

Down upset the odds way back in 1991 and they’ll have to do the same on Sunday to get off the mark.