Shauna Ennis: Meath looking to turn criticism on its head

While it hasn't been the most inspiring spring for All-Ireland and league champions Meath, one thing is certain ahead of their last game in the Lidl Ladies National Football League against Cork; they're safe.

The only team they've beaten are the team that are going down: Donegal. Other than that ,The Royals have suffered defeats to Dublin, Mayo, Kerry and Waterford, as well as a draw with Galway.

"It hasn't gone exactly as we’d hoped," acknowledges captain Shauna Ennis, before swiftly adding, "we have still maintained our Division 1 status and I suppose that was the goal at the beginning of it."

From winning all before them nationally last year - they were beaten in the Leinster final by Dublin - to struggling to stay in the top flight.

How does Ennis explain the slump?

"We have been on the road and we have been playing the whole year round and that probably will take a toll on people

"We have had a good few injuries. Myself and Emma Duggan have been out for the last few games with little niggles. We have a few girls away and stuff like that so you are trying to integrate in new panel members onto the team and they are trying to learn our system, and the way we play.

"So it was never going to be a smooth easy transition so we are happy to have maintained our status."

Of course this year is a big one for the Royals as they chase the three in a row of All-Ireland titles. It's fair to say that with their winners' medals in their back pocket from last spring, the league isn't the competition that is occupying their thoughts in 2023.

They're taking on that challenge of becoming a truly great team this summer without manager Eamonn Murray, who had proved himself by taking the county from the intermediate ranks to the undisputed best