Against all odds Meath prevailed

Even before a ball was kicked in the Ladies All-Ireland SFC final last Sunday a Meath woman was making her mark at Croke Park.

Saoirse Nic Aogain from Rath Chairn had been picked to sing Amhran na Bhfiann accompanied by the Artane band.

The 22-year-old sean-nos singer did a splendid job, her beautiful voice echoing all around the Big House.

In hindsight her high-quality performance can be seen as an omen of what was to come.

The day when the women of Meath stood up to be counted in more ways than one.

Sunday's victory was one of the greatest days for Meath GAA in Croke Park, perhaps even the greatest.

It was every bit as good, if not better, than the All-Ireland triumphs achieved by the men, partly because their elevation to the rank of best team in the country belongs somewhere in the realms of fairytale.

None of the pundits gave them much hope of victory.

Their rise an example of what can be achieved when a group of people put their heads together and focus and work on achieving one objective, then the next, then the next.

They had beaten a Dublin side that were in their eighth successive All-Ireland final and going for a five-in-a-row.

The roar that greeted the end of the game an indication of just what it meant to the people of Meath who have been starved of success on the big stage.

As someone mentioned afterwards, Meath has endured a long, barren spell, then, within a week or so, the minors and the senior ladies win All-Ireland gold.

For an hour or so as the enthralling contest unfolded on Sunday nothing else seemed to matter.

Other issues, personal struggles, the trouble in Afghanistan, climate change, were all forgotten in the drama.

They players, from both Meath and Dublin, showed the power sport has to absorb and stir the spirit.

The cacophony of car horns as traffic inched up the North Circular Road and out the Navan Road was an indication of the immense pride the Meath folk felt as they headed back home. They wanted to be heard. This was a victory that, for Meath folk present at least, and no doubt for those watching on TV, was special.

This was the tale of the underdog winning, a David overcoming a Goliath.

Dublin manager Mick Bohan, emotion forcing him to stop every now and again, spoke about how he was astonished by Meath's intensity.

"I have to take my hat off to Meath I thought they were outstanding," said thge Dublin manager.

"I couldn't get over their intensity, maybe it's the first time we've seen it up front.

"They certainly weren't overawed by the occasion and that's a testament to them and the work done with them."

He also talked of the kind of inspiration Meath provided; how they gave the underdog hope, that dreams, cherished ambitions can be fufilled.

"I have to take my hats off to Meath I thought they were outstanding," he added.

"Today was the end of the road for probably half-a-dozen of that (Dublin) group.

"You would have written the script differently from our end, but again you hand the thing back over to Meath that's the way it's supposed to be done.

"You're supposed to go out to that arena, you're supposed to empty your souls out on the pitch that's why we value the game so highly.

"I hope the people that came today got the spectacle they deserved and I think it was a marvellous front for ladies football."

He paid tribute to Meath's defence, their simple irrepressile desire for victory, their organisation, their fitness, their innovative tactics.

"They were playing a double centre-back, they filtered back aggressively, I mean with a ferocity, to get back," he said.

"I couldn't get over their conditioning, I thought we were in really good shape, but they were matching us hell for leather in every single contest on the field, fair play to them."

He had never seen a system like Meath's before he added.

Sunday's victory was one for the many people who have contributed to Meath football over the years.

Officials like Fearghal Harney who was chairman for a number of years and the current incumbent Colm McManus.

They were name-checked by captain Shauna Ennis in her speech before she lifted the Brendan Martin Cup.

It was a victory also for people like Ann Dungan who for years was the PRO.

It was a victory for so many others - under-age coaches, parents, club officials who one way or another played a role in ensuring that Meath's road to success was achieved on Sunday - against all the odds.

The giant banner in the Cusack Stand had exhorted the Meath players to 'Believe'.

They did that and emerged the victors - and how the Meath people, their people, their tribe, loved it.