In November last year, Robbie Brennan was on punditry duty as Cuala and Tullamore locked horns in the Leinster club SFC semi-final in Tullamore.
Two months previous the Dunboyne man was handed his first inter-county gig, rewarded for his stellar work with Dublin powerhouse Kilmacud Crokes.
At that stage, the inter-county season felt a long way away, but given the news that James McCarthy and Brian Fenton had decided to call it a day, Brennan was asked for his thoughts given they would face the boys in blue should they see off Offaly in their provincial opener.
"I hope more retire," he said before adding that anyone with a passing interest in the club scene in the capital would be aware there was "plenty more coming through".
'I hope more retire' 😭 - Meath manager Robbie Brennan reacts to the news that Dublin footballer Brian Fenton has followed James McCarthy into retirement pic.twitter.com/za39mMpukF
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) November 23, 2024
Stephen Cluxton and John Small decided to go again in 2025, but Brennan did get some of what he was hoping for with Paul Mannion and Jack McCaffrey, for this year at least, opting out.
While Dessie Farrell introduced 16 new players into his league panel, the suspicion that Dublin are on a downward curve wasn't met with huge opposition in the league, a mixed bag of results where Con O’Callaghan’s importance to their success increased significantly.
The Royals, for the first time in four years won more league games than they lost, yet predictions of a provincial appearance were still some way off.
Some spectacular two-point shooting was the cornerstone of the comeback victory over Offaly, while the Dubs could only labour to victory over Wicklow.
Throw a neutral venue into the mix and there was a growing sense that Meath could make it the most competitive fixture in some time against their neighbours.
A win however still felt a tall order. That doubt however didn’t filter into the camp as they ensured a new name will be on the Delaney Cup this year.
"It was a big result for everybody in the county," Brennan told RTÉ Sport. "Obviously there is nothing won, but for the last 14, 15 years Dublin have been the best team that we have seen, so most Meath teams have been up against it in those years unfortunately.
"We felt yesterday there was an opportunity and we took it."
Midfielder Ronan Jones - pictured above - has been no stranger to difficult days against the Dubs since his bow in 2016.
A Dunboyne club-mate of Brennan, injuries have curtailed his Meath career, but was called into action for the final 15 minutes of a famous win.
"It’s been years coming," he said. "There has been lads who have played for 12 years and lost every game against Dublin. To come out on top, it was probably a release of emotion.
"Even seeing some of the younger lads, who have probably grown up watching Meath teams lose to Dublin and now they are the ones making history.
"It was a great feeling, not just for us, but for the whole county. It was a magic moment."
Corner-back Seamus Lavin is another savouring the moment after a four-year stint out of the green jersey.
The chartered accountant played in the 2021 Leinster semi-final defeat to Dublin before emigrating to Canada. He watched on from Toronto as the Royals claimed the Tailteann Cup in 2023
Asked about what has changed within the panel to bring about such a turn a result, he said: "It’s hard to put a finger on any one thing. Robbie has brought a lot of belief to the team and you could see that. A lot of that came to fruition yesterday.
"We came to Portlaoise with an expectation and ambition that we could win. You have to have that belief."
Watch a provincial football final double-header, Kerry v Clare (1.45pm) and Mayo v Galway (4pm) on Sunday from 1.15pm. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
