Game-changer: How the Cork Ladies footballers stood up and shaped a glorious future

They were selected as the nation’s sports team of the year, and exist on a Ladies Football plateau of their own making. But as this extract from Mary White’s new book ’Relentless’ shows, before there was serial All-Ireland success, there was a Rebel rebellion...

GOALKEEPER Elaine Harte has solid hands, but tonight they’re shaking. So too are her legs.

Sitting on a rickety bar stool in the back lounge of Murray’s Bar in Macroom for the 2003 county board AGM, she’s waited nearly two hours to hear who’s been selected to oversee the county management teams for the following season. Aged just 22, she’s the only senior inter-county player present.