FIRST IMPRESSIONS

SHANE MCCORMACK says he knew there was "something special there" the first time he met with the Meath ladies squad.

- BY KARL O'KANE

Former Kildare goalkeeper McCormack had spent three years with Armagh landing two Ulster titles and a National League crown and was intent on taking a break from management.

He'd "really enjoyed" his time with Armagh and "had a little bit of success" but, not long married, the Crumlin college lecturer decided to step away from the game for a spell.

Then Meath came calling in August 2023 and all that changed.

"Obviously I had been following Meath's (All-Ireland) success in '21 and '22," says McCormack. "There was a bit of a blip there for the last year-and-a-half. But there was still a strong backbone of the team there.

"I like challenges, but even the first couple of weeks when we met with the girls, we knew there was something special there. They're a super group. They're brilliant.

"They're very straight. Very straight. I did an interview the other day, and I think the one thing I mentioned was they'd run through a brick wall for you - because they would. They're so dedicated. We brought in 15 or 16 girls in the last two years. I keep saying that we were rebuilding and we were.