Cork are coming into today's All Ireland semi-final as underdogs, something no one could have envisaged a few months ago if you were told there'd be a Cork-Meath face-off in Championship 2007, but there's a reason why they should approach this game with great confidence.

Because, for all that is being said about Meath's superior scoring power, Cork boast the tightest defence in Gaelic football this past two years.

As Table 1 shows, they've the lowest average of scores conceded in the championship this past two seasons, letting up on average only 11 points per game.

In second place are Fermanagh, with 11.4 points. Interestingly, that's basically what Fermanagh held Meath to in this year's championship . . . 0-11 . . .and that game was in Navan, Meath's homeground.

The sixth meanest defence in championship football this past two years is Dublin's, who only concede on average 12.5 ppg, a mark Meath struggled to break in the two games against Pillar Caffrey's team this year.

In other words, Cork have a great chance of holding their defensive average today. And for all their troubles upfront in recent years, they've only once failed to score more than 12 points in their last seven championship games . . . even though three of those games have been against two of the other four top defences in the country.

Cork are particularly adept at keeping clean sheets. Only Fermanagh have conceded fewer goals this past two championships, while only Dublin and the Ernesiders have registered as many clean sheets as Billy's Army.

Cork only concede a goal in every five games, and keep a clean sheet in the other four.

It's a stunning record, especially compared to Mayo, who, despite contesting the last two national finals, have leaked 13 goals in their last five championship games, leaving them with the second worst goals-against record in the country.

It is also far superior to Tyrone, who Meath just about disposed of last time out.

In a way, Graham Geraghty's goal wasn't that big a deal; Tyrone have kept only one clean sheet in their last 13 championship games.

Check out where your county is at.

With the exception of Clare, who are hugely flattered in this table, it might give an idea just why they are where they are in the football food chain.

O'Shaughnessy: now up there with the best Andrew O'Shaughnessy not only helped Limerick to an All Ireland semi-final last Sunday but personally joined a special group featuring some of the most illustrious names in the game's history. After scoring 2-7, including 1-1 from play and his first ever goal from a placed ball in championship hurling, the Limerick man became only the 10th player to register 13 points or more in an All Ireland semi-final (see Table 2).

If the hurling all-stars were this morning Brian Murray (Limerick); Gerry O'Grady (Clare), Declan Fanning (Tipperary), Seamus Hickey (Limerick); Tony Browne (Waterford), Ken McGrath (Waterford), Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny); Michael Walsh (Waterford), James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny); Dan Shanahan (Waterford), Ollie Moran (Limerick), Stephen Molumphy (Waterford); Ben O'Connor (Cork), Martin Comerford (Kilkenny), Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny).

Betcha didn't know this now

Last Thursday on The Road To Croker, Jack O'Shea said that himself and his fellow musical All Stars Barney Rock and David Beggy played in 15 senior All Ireland finals between them, before joking that he played in 13 of them.

Jacko was off but how far off was he? How many senior All Ireland final appearances did he personally make and how many did the others?