We never thought the glory days were finished

MEATH ARE CLEARY BACK TO THEIR BEST AS THEY FACE DUBLIN AGAIN

- BY KARL O'KANE

LIFTING the Brendan Martin Cup would be some way for Meath skipper Aoibhín Cleary to sign off her GAA season before she sets off to join the AFLW exodus.

Cleary is off to Melbourne to join Richmond, just a couple of days after Sunday's All-Ireland final encounter with Dublin at Croke Park.

"It's a huge honour obviously, to be appointed as captain and it's just an incredible group of girls," said the Donaghmore Ashbourne player.

"The Richmond signing came a bit after that (appointment as captain).

Obviously, I had fully committed to Meath. That was always going to be my priority this year.

"Richmond have just been great.

They've been really understanding, really supportive of the situation completely understood I was committing to Meath and giving my all to that.

"And as soon as that was finished that I'd be heading out to them and committing my all to them then."

Cleary was a key figure in Meath's 2021 and 2022 All-Ireland victories, but after quarter-final defeats to Kerry in 2023 and 2024, some felt the Royals' time may have come and gone.

But this year they bounced back to defeat the Kingdom in the All-Ireland semi-final and set up a repeat of the 2021 decider where they denied Dublin the five-in-a-row.

Cleary says Meath have "been on a journey" over the last few years and carried a bit of hurt" from the Kerry defeats.