How Meath football went from laughing stock to last two standing

When Eamonn Murray was first asked to step up from minor to senior manager in 2017, he baulked at the idea. He reckons he said ‘no’ about five times. Eventually, he came around

Meath manager Eamonn Murray celebrates with players, from left, Emma Troy, Niamh O'Sullivan, and Shauna Ennis following the All-Ireland semi-final victory over Cork. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

On a disastrous weekend for Meath football in late June 2015, it turned out the county’s senior ladies team hadn’t even bottomed out yet.

Beaten 3-15 to 1-5 by Westmeath in the Leinster round-robin — on the same day the men’s team were beaten for the first time by Westmeath in the Championship at Croke Park — Diane O’Hora pulled the pin and resigned as Meath ladies manager, sending a bombshell letter to the board which went public.