MEATH'S arrival on the All Ireland scene again is ostensibly reward for a series of successful under age teams this decade. It is also, however, vindication for a number of changes made to the team by manager Sean Boylan and his selectors Frank Foley and Eamonn O'Brien.

The most obviously constructed line in the team is the half forwards. Trevor Giles has played most of his senior career on the wing although he was centre back on UCD's Sigerson Cup winning team earlier this year.

Graham Geraghty's career had been mostly spent as a wing back although it was argued by some that he was a more natural forward. He was played at wing forward on the Leinster team that won this year's Railway Cup.

Leading the attack is Tommy Dowd who has been more usually associated with the full forward position. His career actually started on the wing where he played in two All Ireland finals. Like Geraghty, he had sparked some debate as to where his best position was.

Sean Boylan explains what attributes his captain has brought to the centre forward position.

"Tommy played there in 1990 and 91 so he had experience. When he first played full forward, he had Colm O'Rourke and Bernard Flynn to share the burden. When they went, he had to carry more responsibility. Also for a long time, we had struggled in the middle of the field and be can help that. He needed facial stitches in the Leinster final and that was why we moved him to the corner - out of harm's way.

"Tommy wouldn't have the same engine as Trevor to play on the wing. Trevor has played in so many places and probably prefers playing in the halfbacks. But he's our free taker and we had to have him near to the action.

"The decision (to move Geraghty) was made a good time ago. Graham was first picked there against Mayo for the National League quarter final but a lot of injuries - Colm Coyle. John McDermott and Paddy Reynolds (all half backs) put paid to that.

"He's a very creative player and likes the idea of it. He plays centre forward, centrefield, everywhere for his club. He had an awful fall that week and then he got a knock that cracked three of his teeth. The doctor was picking a piece of one tooth out of his gum at half time."

During the league, John McDermott played a number of matches at centre back. Boylan said at the time that the re deployment was to help round the player's skills and was quite happy with the experiment.

"John McDermott is the dominant midfielder," says Boylan, in the county but from the time of the Leinster final last year, it was obvious something had to be done about his defensive game. He was happy to do that and played very well only conceded one point in five matches."

Midfield's obvious need meant he was never going to have a long career pivoting the defence. Into that position came the surprise choice of Enda McManus, whose previous career had been mostly spent in the full back line where doubts were sometimes expressed about his pace. Boylan doesn't agree.

"Enda played well at full back until he pulled his stomach muscle. That affected his twisting and turning and he had to do a lot of work to get back. We myself. Frank (Foley) and Eamonn (O'Brien, selectors) talked to him about coming back in a central role when he felt he was ready. When he was ready: we didn't want to be bringing him on and off because he wasn't recovered and demoralise him.

He would have been slow when recovering from the injury but there's no one quicker over 10 yards in training. He's not in the classic centre back mould his game is basically get it and give it."

Brendan Reilly is now operating at full forward after a relatively long career spent switching between defence, where he played two All Ireland finals, and attack to where he has gravitated in recent years.

"Brendan's been around a long time now. He was on the bench for the 1988 final - and he's only 26. After last year's Leinster final, he wasn't sure whether he wanted to go through it again. When he decided to, Frank and Eamonn felt he was a natural forward."

He scored two points in the Leinster final but also kicked four wides in an attack whose wild finishing was overshadowed by victory. Boylan isn't particularly concerned by the inaccuracies and places them in an historical context.

"Maybe (it was) over anxiety. People forget that in 1986 we had Colm O'Rourke, Brian Stafford, Bernie Flynn. P.J. Gillic, David Beggy and still kicked 12 wides in the Leinster final."

Even if Meath lose tomorrow, will it still have been a successful season?

"It will have been a good year but it could be better yet."