Meath captain Aoibhin Cleary hoping for another Croke Park triumph

​By Paul Keane

Three times already this year, Dublin have got the better of Meath.

One of those wins came in the Leinster final while, when the neighbours met in the National League, Dublin powered past the Royals on a 2-19 to 0-9 scoreline.

Yet when the ball is thrown in for this year's All-Ireland decider at Croke Park on Sunday afternoon, Dublin may very well feel like the ones with the score to settle.

Nobody associated with the Sky Blues has forgotten how, chasing down a fifth consecutive title in 2021, they were suckered by underdogs Meath in that season's final.

"I think you can look at it both ways," said Meath captain Aoibhin Cleary, a veteran of all those games, of the revenge element. "From more recent games, we definitely owe them one but I'm sure there's no doubt that they have 2021 in the back of their minds as well.

"We both know eachother so well at this stage and they have gotten the better of us on the last few occasions but I suppose, most recently, the Leinster final was a very close game.

"They obviously finished strong so we learned an awful lot from that game. It was a lot of the girls' first time in Croke Park, so we learned a lot even from that aspect. It's nice to have that experience in our locker now but look, I think all focus will just be on this game now and we won't be paying too much heed to what's happened in the past."

Dublin appeared to be caught off guard by Meath in 2021. Then Dublin manager Mick Bohan stated after his team's defeat that he couldn't get over Meath's 'intensity'.

"It's the first time we've seen it up front," he said at the time.

Four years on, there are very few secrets between the two groups who have been meeting on a regular basis in league and Leinster championship campaigns.

"I think it is definitely a different scenario this year than it was in '21," said Cleary, who won her first All-Ireland medal as well as her first All-Star that year. "Back then, we hadn't played Dublin competitively really at all so it was very new to both teams.

"You can obviously do so much homework in the background, analysis and all that sort of stuff, but until you have actually played against eachother it's hard to know.

"This year it's obviously a different situation. We do know eachother very well. Both teams will have their homework done, all their analysis, because we're well used to playing eachother."

Eamonn Murray was in charge of Meath for the 2021 and 2022 All-Ireland wins. The reins passed through a couple of different hands before being given to former Kildare goalkeeper Shane McCormack at the back end of 2023.

The ex-Armagh ladies manager guided Meath to an All-Ireland quarter-final in 2024 before going two steps further this term. Cleary said she never believed that the glory years were over, or a thing of the past.

"I don't think that ever goes through your head really," she said. "You're always just focusing on the year you're in, and what you can do for next year. I don't think you're ever going to think, 'Oh that's it, the glory days are gone'. That was honestly never something that crossed my mind and it's not something you'd reflect on too much either.

"You're really just playing in the present and focusing on what you can do this year, what you can do next year, making the most of the setup that is there.

"I think the last few years, we probably didn't feel like we did that, we probably didn't feel like we got the best out of ourselves whereas this year we have really pushed ourselves and we've been able to see that improvement, that progression.

"It's been nice to get the last two wins in particular and just to have those more consistent performances across the All-Ireland championship. It's been rewarding to see that work pay off."

Barring an All-Ireland final replay, Cleary will jet out to Australia at some stage afterwards, to focus on her new role with AFLW side Richmond.

Their season begins 12 days after this Sunday's All-Ireland final and, in between, her partner, Cork dual player Hannah Looney, will play in the All-Ireland camogie final.

These are hectic and, potentially, historic days. Cleary and Looney have supported eachother along their respective journeys to national finals.

"Obviously we're both very aware of all the emotions and stuff that you'll be going through," said the 26-year-old Donaghmore/Ashbourne icon. "It's really exciting this weekend and it's really exciting for her in terms of next weekend as well. I suppose it is nice that we can feed off eachother that little bit or just understand what eachother is feeling at any given time."