Dublin boss Paul Casey admits Meath ‘caught us on the hop' in famous All-Ireland final but won't be ‘motivating factor'

The Irish Sun

3 days ago

PAUL CASEY insists that the failure of Dublin's five-in-a-row bid will not serve as an added incentive to prevent another Royal coronation tomorrow.
Having occupied the throne for four years on the spin, the Dubs were odds-on favourites to prevail when they met Meath in the 2021 All-Ireland ladies SFC final.
3
Meath made history by winning the 2021 All-Ireland
Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
3
It ended Dublin's quest for five in a row
Credit: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
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Paul Casey insisted that won't motivate them in this weekend's final
Credit: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Yet just nine months after they sealed promotion to the senior ranks, the Royals caused a seismic upset to claim the Brendan Martin Cup.
The
neighbours
will contest the
After serving on the backroom ticket, the pair were promoted last December following Mick Bohan's decision to step down.
Reflecting on 2021, Casey said: 'Meath very much came out of nowhere, having won the intermediate and having won Division 2.
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'We hadn't the
luxury
of playing them even in the Leinster
Championship
that year because of the Covid restrictions, so they very much, I suppose if you like, possibly caught us on the hop.
'It was just that unfamiliarity. They were a team that obviously improved massively.
'When they beat
'We were a team that was only used to winning matches then. But I think the defeats we've had over the years — that year, the following year to
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After Meath successfully defended their All-Ireland title, Dublin returned to the summit in 2023. They are now hotly fancied to regain the game's ultimate prize by seeing off Meath for the FOURTH time this year.
The Dubs were victorious when the sides met in the National League, before coming out on top again when they crossed paths twice in the Leinster Championship.
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Casey continued: 'I don't think 2021 will be any motivating factor.
'When you come to All-Ireland final day, you want to win the game.
'Meath will be the exact same. I'm sure they're not looking back and saying they have to get
revenge
for the Leinster final. You're playing on the biggest day of the year — you're going out to try and win the game. That's motivation enough for any team.'
Dublin's aggregate margin of victory in their three meetings with Meath in 2025 was 27 points.
However, Casey knows that Shane McCormack's side will be on a high after ousting All-Ireland champions
He said: 'They're definitely a team that has improved an awful lot as the Championship has gone on. That's what happens — the longer you stay in the Championship, obviously fitness-levels increase, you're beginning to peak fitness-wise.
'But we see ourselves as the same — that we're improving as the championship goes on.
'We're expecting a massive, massive battle from them. They've some excellent players. They're not a one, two or three-person team. They have fantastic players all over the pitch.
'We know from 2021 when they came here and beat us in the All-Ireland final that they won't fear playing Dublin on the biggest day of the year.'
Casey was a member of the panel when Dublin won the Sam Maguire in 2011. The seven-time Leinster SFC winner called time on his playing career at the end of the following season.
Speaking at HQ ahead of tomorrow's All-Ireland final, he added: 'There's going to be a good crowd here on Sunday and it's only right the girls get to experience that.
'What I've seen over my years involved with the girls, and obviously playing myself, is the commitment and the lengths they will go to to better themselves and make sure they're in their absolute peak physical condition.
'They've brought the game to a new level. They put in the exact same effort as any men's team.'