'One thing that disappoints me too is that females don't support female sport more'

When he took on the proverbial poisoned chalice of managing Cork’s ladies’ footballers in January 2016, it was easy to imagine that Ephie Fitzgerald might soon be choking on its contents.

The 10-time All-Ireland senior champions had just lost a manager that seemed more ‘sensei’ than coach, and some of their many superstars had one, if not both feet, out the exit door.