Welcome to Croke Park for today’s eagerly awaited football action. The senior game between Cork and Donegal is the main attraction at 3.30pm but, before that, we have the meeting of Meath and Mayo in the minor clash at 1.30pm.

We’ll have the teams for you shortly but it’s worth reminding you how both teams got here.

Having lost their respective provisional finals, Mayo unexpectedly sent Tipperary packing at the quarter-final stage.

Meath dramatically overcame Tyrone 2-12 to 1-14 in their quarter-final thanks to a late goal by Stephen Coogan.

Here’s the Meath team for the game:

MEATH MF: 1. Robert Burlingham (Simonstown Gaels); 2. Declan Smyth (Dunsany), 3. Brian Power (Ratoath), 4. Shane Gallagher (Simonstown Gaels); 5. Conor Carton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne), 6. Shane McEntee (St Peter’s Dunboyne/Kilbride), 7. Seamus Lavin (St Peter’s Dunboyne/Kilbride); 8. Pauric Harnan (Jenkinstown Gaels), 9. Adam Flanagan (Clonard); 10. Cillian O’Sullivan (Jenkinstown Gaels), 11. Jason Daly (St Peter’s Dunboyne/Kilbride), 12. James McEntee (St Vincent’s/Curraha); 13. Barry Dardis (Summerhill), 14. Stephen Coogan (Dunderry), 15. Fiachra Ward (Wolfe Tones).

The Royals have drafted in Robert Burlingham in goal as Jack Hannigan has failed to recover from the injury that saw him leave their quarter-final win early.

And here’s the Mayo team:

MAYO MFC: Conor O’Malley (Westport); Joe Geraghty (Ballintubber), Sean Moran (Kiltimagh), Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber); Patrick Durcan (Castlebar Mitchels), Cian Burke (Ardnaree Sarsfields), Kevin Lynch (Mayo Gaels); Brian Mullen (Westport), Adam Gallagher (Mayo Gaels); Eoghan Lavin (Kiltimagh), Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore), Diarmuid O’Connor (Ballintubber); James Quinn (Ballinrobe), Sean Regan (Ballina Stephenites), Shane Hennelly (Shrule/Glencorrib).

Manager Tony Duffy has kept faith with the same 15 that beat Tipperary 0-19 to 1-8 in their last outing.

We’re almost read for throw in at Croke Park.

As usual, we’d love to hear from you so feel free to get in touch with predictions, comments or observations.

We’re underway!

Mayo 0-01 – Meath 0-00

A free from Eoghan Lavin gives us our first score of the game.

The referee is having a word with Meath’s Shane McEntee after the score and has produced a yellow card.

The game is just four minutes old but Meath have had three good goal chances, none of which they’ve managed to convert.

The latest fell to Cillian O’Sullivan whose rasping shot still has the Mayo crossbar shaking.

Mayo 0-02 Meath 0-00

Sean Regan kicks Mayo’s second point of the game with a well taken point off his right boot.

Mayo 0-03 – Meath 0-00

Unbelievably Meath have missed yet another goal chance but Mayo aren’t worried as they march straight down the field and scored another point through Stephen Coen.

Mayo 0-04 – Meath 0-00

Despite Meath having the better possession, it’s Mayo who find themselves four points up. This time through Shane Hennelly who made the most of a mistake by Meath goalkeeper Robert Burlingham.

Mayo 0-04 – Meath 0-01

Meath are finally on the board after 17 minutes thanks to a long range free from Fiachra Ward.

Fans of the Leinster team will hope that score settles them down.

Mayo 1-05 – Meath 0-01

Diarmuid O’Connor grabs the game’s first goal and Mayo quickly follow it up with a point from Patrick Durcan.

It looks a long way back for Meath now.

Mayo 1-06 – Meath 0-02

Meath waste yet another goal opportunity but at least Jason Daly manages to score a point from the rebound.

Eoghan Lavin then replies for Mayo with a 45

Mayo 1-06 – Meath 0-05

Meath reduce the margin to four points with three points on the bounce.

Jason Daly, Pauric Harnan and James McEntee have brought the Royals back into this game.

Mayo 1-07 – Meath 0-06

Mayo briefly regain their four point lead thanks to a free from Adam Gallagher before Meath’s Cillian O’Sullivan points from range to keep the Royals within two scores.

A difficult game to assess at half-time.

Meath have been very profligate in front of goal but somehow manage to find themselves only four points down at half-time.

An interesting second half awaits.

For those of you who like to keep track of this sort of thing, here are the scorers:

Mayo – 1-07: Diarmuid O’Connor (1-0), Eoghan Lavin (0-2), Sean Regan (0-1), Stephen Coen (0-1), Shane Hennelly (0-1), Patrick Durcan (0-1), Adam Gallagher (0-1)

Meath – 0-06: Jason Daly (0-2), Fiachra Ward (0-1), Pauric Harnan (0-1), James McEntee (0-1), Cillian O’Sullivan (0-1)

Mayo 1-09 – Meath 0-6

Adam Gallagher scores two points in the opening 90 seconds of the second half to stretch Mayo’s lead to six points.

Mayo 1-10 – Meath 0-06

James Quinn points for Mayo with the goal at his mercy.

Still, if Meath don’t wake up soon, this game will get away from them.

Mayo 1-10 – Meath 0-08

Meath finally realise the second half is under way with two points in succession after spurning yet another goal chance.

The images are starting to hit the wires from Croke Park.

This one caught my attention:

(c) INPHO/Cathal Noonan

Mayo 1-10 – Meath 0-09

Fiachra Ward points another easy free to bring the game back to just four points.

If Meath had converted just 25% of their goal chances today they’d be comfortably winning this game.

The game is getting scrappy now with neither team scoring in quite some time.

Mayo look tired but it remains to be seen if Meath can take advantage.

Mayo 1-10 – Meath 0-10

For the first time since the 11th minute, Meath are within a goal of Mayo.

Mayo haven’t scored in over 20 minutes and, if they’re not careful, this game could slip away from them.

Mayo 1-10 – Meath 1-10

And Meath are level. Adam Gallagher is penalised for bringing Cillian o’Sullivan down in the box and Fiachra Ward converts the spot kick.

Mayo manager Tony Duffy must be tearing his hair out at his team’s capitulation.

Meath 2-10 – Mayo 1-10

For the first time in the game, Meath take the lead and what a time to finally score a goal through substitute P Kennelly

The 60 minutes are up, and Mayo have just imploded here.

Meath 2-10 – Mayo 1-11

That’s it, all over. Mayo kicked a consolation point with the last kick of the game.

Meath fans are delighted but this Mayo team need to ask themselves where this all went wrong?

The penalty changed the game. It looked harsh but the game should have been out sight before then.

Mayo failed to score for nearly 30 minutes in the second half and it’s that, rather than poor refereeing, their supporters should be focusing on this evening.

That’s it from me for today, thanks for the company and be sure to tune in for coverage of the Senior game which begins at 3.30pm.