Australia bound Aoibhín Cleary focused on Meath ahead of the championship

Michael Bolton

Meath captain Aoibhín Claery says she is focused on the All-Ireland football championship following her move to the AFLW confirmed.

Cleary will move to Richmond when the season with Meath is completed, making her the first Irish woman to play for the club.

The two-time All-Ireland winner will follow in the footsteps of Meath teammates Vikki Wall and Orlagh Lally in moving to the AFLW, with both players successful in their time there.

Despite an early start to the AFLW season, Cleary says there was never any question of playing for Meath.

"Playing with Meath this year was not a question for me, so I’m really grateful and really blessed that I am getting the opportunity to do both; to play the season here with Meath and then head over to Richmond.

“I’m the first Irish girl heading over to Richmond. I suppose there’s a lot of unknowns. I’m definitely pushing myself out of my comfort zone and throwing myself into the deep end, but I think that makes it very exciting as well.

“I can only say great things about Richmond so far. Since the offer has come through, we’ve been catching up regularly and met a lot of the girls online. There just seems to be a really great culture and a great connection between the girls. I can’t wait to actually get over and meet them properly.”

An amazing opportunity to play professional sport on the other side of the world, there will be an element of home away from home with the amount of Irish players in the league.

As well as getting advice from teammates, much of the Meath defender's spare time is getting used to the oval ball and rules she will face in Australia.

"I'm trying to get to grips with some of the skills, the kicking, the handballing, all that sort of stuff. It's obviously a very different ball, very different technique. It takes a lot of getting used to, so definitely doing a bit, little enough I suppose, to kind of get to grips with it as much as I can before I head over.

"I've pulled my dad out to the garden a good bit, he's been great. He's questioned me a lot, he's like, are you sure? But yeah, no, he's been great, so he comes out with me a fair bit. Mike as well, the agent, I've been able to meet up with him and do some skill sessions with him and stuff as well, so he's been great."

Attention will quickly turn to the group stages of the All-Ireland, with Meath set to face Kildare and Armagh.

Meath shocked everyone when they won the All-Ireland in 2021, which they followed up with another title in 2022.

A team that went through the ranks against the odds, Cleary says the Royals are more than capable of repeating their heroics.

“That’s definitely the aim, the focus. We have a great management and backroom team, we have a great group of girls. So yeah, it’s just trying to push ourselves to our potential and really try and get the most out of us.

"I think it’s great having a mix of experience. There is still a few girls around who would have been involved in those years, in 2021 and 2022, but we have a lot of new girls in as well, fresh blood, and they just bring so much enthusiasm.”