Kildare's McCormack to be named new Meath Ladies boss

After six years of stability Meath will have their fourth manager in little over a year following the news that ex-Armagh boss Shane McCormack is the preferred choice of the Meath LGFA interview committee to succeed Davy Nelson as full-time manager.

Following the departure of Eamonn Murray and his management team after the second All-Ireland SFC success in July 2022 Davy Nelson was appointed as manager of the Meath Ladies, but his tenure was ended abruptly following a disappointing NFL Div 1 campaign where Meath surrendered that title with just one win and they were well beaten by Dublin in the Leinster SFC final.

Jenny Rispin stepped in to take over as manager on an interim basis and guided Meath to a victory over Waterford in the opening game of their defence of the Brendan Martin cup. However, a loss to Donegal in Navan was followed by a quarter-final defeat by Kerry and Meath's reign was over.

Meath LGFA issued a call looking for applicants to fill the role of senior manager and after an extensive interview process former Kildare goalkeeper McCormack was selected to be proposed to the Co Board as the next manager.

McCormack, from the Allenwood club, has worked with the Armagh Ladies for the past three seasons, firstly as a selector in 2020 and ’21 and then last year, when he took over as manager and led them to the NFL Div 2 title and back to Div 1 football.

He has extensive experience of the ladies game having also managed Wexford for a couple of years.

McCormack was part of the Kildare senior football panel for a number of seasons during Kieran McGeeney’s reign, making 21 appearances across all competitions.

His best run of games came in 2010, McGeeney’s most productive season with Kildare, when McCormack was first choice goalkeeper for their journey to the All-Ireland semi-final, which they lost narrowly to Down, with the Allenwood clubman beaten by a controversial Benny Coulter goal that ought to have been disallowed for a square ball offence.

While McCormack's backroom team has yet to be finalised it is expected that Eugene Eivers will take responsibility for the Strength & Conditioning of the team. Several other roles have yet to be filled.

The appointment of McCormack means that 11 of this year’s 12 senior counties will be managed by men in 2024 with Fiona Wynne as joint-manager of Galway along with Maghnus Breathnach.