Let's be honest with each other here. Nobody could have predicted this! Yes, of course, some may have gone for a Cork victory on the premise that they had yet to play to even half their potential. A true and accurate assessment I would have thought based on current form but only the man above in heaven (ie. God) could have opted for a 1-16 to 0-09 scoreline.

This was the seventh Championship clash between the Rebels and the Royals and for the first time ever at an All-Ireland semi-final stage. The previous six were ironically always All-Ireland finals.

Cork had only won once, the 1990 final when the famous double was done and dusted. There was a history of antagonism at that time between the counties which lasted for many years afterwards. Only the very sad passing of goalkeeper John Kerins in 2001 brought these great rivals together and today those players have forged some fine friendships.

It looked liked that friction and dislike for each other had been passed on to the next generation when two little flare-ups midway through the first half saw Noel O'Leary shown a yellow card for an off the ball punch on to Graham Geraghty's jaw. It was the only blip in a very sporting match that was primarily dominated by Cork all the way through. 

Three times level in the first half suggested a tight battle to the wire but sadly from a Meath perspective their challenge faded. In fact they could only manage three points in the whole second half to end up with just nine points on the board.

The loss of their captain Anthony Moyles before the match with a hamstring problem was a devastating blow and to be honest they never came near to recovering from his absence.

He was the link man between defence and attack all through the Championship and without him they were rudderless.

Even with him I have my doubts would they have seen off the challenge of Cork. Derek Kavanagh and Nicholas Murphy were masterful at midfield and nowhere over the 70 minutes did Mark Ward and Nigel Crawford come near to gaining control or even parity in that crucial sector.

The intensity that we witnessed in Portlaoise when Meath said adios to Galway or a few weeks ago when Tyrone's interest in the Championship came to an abrupt end was never seen except for a brief 10 minutes in the closing stages in the first half.

Coincidentally and most significantly when Meath did step up the tempo and managed to level the match for the third time, Cork put their foot on the accelerator and changed gears from third to fourth to fifth and in three spellbinding minutes had restored their lead of three thanks to points by Donnacha O'Connor, Daniel Goulding and Kevin McMahon before the break. Half-time score: Cork 0-09 Meath 0-06.

Any hopes of a Meath revival seemed to evaporate as O'Connor (who later won the RTÉ Man of the Match award) tagged on another point 30 seconds after the re-start before Stephen Bray got the first of only three Meath points in the second half (yes, that's right, Meath only scored three times in the entire second half).

Eight minutes into that second period, Cork led by four points (0-11 to 0-07) when the game and a place in the final of 2007 was finally sealed.

A quick sideline ball into McMahon in space in front of the Cusack Stand at the Hill 16 end resulted in a kick being barely touched by Meath wing-back Caoimhin King but that touch was enough to deflect it upwards and over the head of the advancing Meath goalkeeper Brendan Murphy.

It was game set and match to the Leesiders.

From there to the finish Cork dominated in the half-back line where Noel O'Leary, Ger Spillane and Anthony Lynch were always impressive. The tactical cuteness and strategy devised by Billy Morgan was a vital ingredient in lowering the Royals.

Placing 6' 7" Michael Cussen around midfield worked as did the decision to get Graham Canty to do a man marking job on Stephen Bray.

The twin threats of Daniel Goulding and Donnacha O'Connor in the Cork full-forward line exposed the inexperienced Cormac McGuinness and Niall McKeague time after time. 

With the inrushing and overlapping Cork wing-forwards John Miskella and McMahon, the Royals were exposed too many times and the fact the Cork scored 1-12 from play out of a total of 1-16 tells its own story.

It's the first final for Cork since 1999 and make no mistake about it they will give it some lash. For Billy Morgan credit must be given to guiding his beloved Cork back to an All-Ireland final.

He first played in an All-Ireland final himself back in 1967 only to lose to Meath. However, he captained them to victory in 1973, was manager when they lost in 1987 and 1988 but more importantly was the man in charge in 1990 when the famous double was won.

Today he cherished the moment as the team he has slowly built came of age and glided into the All-Ireland Football final of 2007.

Whether it will be Kerry or Dublin in Croke Park on 16 September won't matter to him. All that will concern him from now until then is how will Cork bring Sam Maguire back to the banks of the Lee for the first time in 17 years.

At 61 years of age, no man would deserve it more for he is Mr Cork Football.  Will his club mate James Masters be available for the final? Time will tell but one thing for certain it will take a massive effort on the part of every Kerry man or every Dublin man to deny Billy and the Cork boys what they feel is their ultimate destiny - the title of All-Ireland Senior Football champions 2007!

Cork: A Quirke; M Shields, G Canty, K O'Connor; N O'Leary, G Spillane, A Lynch; D Kavanagh (0-01), N Murphy (0-01); J Miskella (0-01), P O’Neill (0-01), K McMahon (1-02); D Goulding (0-02), M Cussen, D O’Connor (0-07, 3f).

Subs used: C McCarthy for Miskella (h-t); D Duggan for Shields (63 mins), K O'Sullivan for Goulding (64), E Cadogan for O'Leary (69), A Cronin for O'Neill (70).

Meath: B Murphy; C McGuinness, D Fay, N McKeigue; S Kenny, K Reilly, C King (0-01); M Ward, N Crawford; G Geraghty, J Donegan, P Byrne; S Bray (0-02), S O'Rourke (0-02), B Farrell (0-04, 3f).

Subs used: C Ward for Donegan (31 mins), C O'Connor for McGuinness (48), C McCarthy for Byrne (52), N McLoughlin for O'Rourke (60).

Referee: Brian Crowe (Cavan).