Emma Duggan doesn't rule out the possibility that one day she might follow Meath teammates Vikki Wall and Orlagh Lally in signing with an AFLW club. For the moment, though, her thoughts are only on these shores.
"Look, I wouldn't say no," says Duggan, speaking at an event to promote Lidl Ireland’s County Pride campaign.
"Obviously right now it's not something I've been thinking of, so I can't give a straight answer now, but you never know.
'There is a lot that I want to achieve with Meath'
"In the future it might be something that will work out that way but for now I'm fully focused on football for the next few years. There is a lot that I want to achieve with Meath and with my club Dunboyne as well so that's where my focus lies for now."
On Saturday evening, Duggan was the hero for Meath as they just edged past Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
Meath had held a five point late in the game, but Galway fought back, and were level as the hooter neared. That was until Duggan kicked a skyscraper point which scaled the Galway defence. It bounced on the crossbar, and then over to win the game.
The victory set up an All-Ireland semi-final against Donegal at Croke Park this weekend.
9 July 2022; Emma Duggan of Meath celebrates after her side's victory in the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Championship Quarter-Final match between Galway and Meath at O’Connor Park in Tullamore, Offaly Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
It was at the last-four stage last year when the nation really began to take notice of Meath, and Duggan. They'd won the 2020 intermediate title, and had defeated Armagh in the 2021 quarter-finals. Good results, but not head turning.
Their victory in last year's All-Ireland semi-final against Cork (a comeback miracle), and in the final against Dublin put heads spinning. It was also life-changing for Duggan.
"There are obviously aspects that have changed a huge amount," she says.
"The big one, I suppose, is just walking down the street and randomers noticing you, which for me, I was not really expecting that.
"When you see the kids coming up to you in their jerseys asking you sign them and get a picture and stuff like that, you are kind of thinking 'Why are they asking me, why are they looking for my autograph?'
"It is huge to see the impact that you are having on kids. If that is the big thing we are doing around the country, having a positive impact and inspiring young people, we will take that any day.
"There are other aspects that I want to stay consistent in my life. I would not be a massive fan of getting out there in the media, I prefer to keep my head down. There are aspects where you want to stay focussed on the job in hand.
"There are definitely opportunities that you have been given. We would never have got that this time last year or a couple of years ago as well. You do have to take them while they're here, you know they won’t be here forever too."
5 September 2021; Meath players, from left, Katie Newe, Emma Duggan, Vikki Wall and Máire O'Shaughnessy celebrate after the TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Senior Football Championship Final match between Dublin and Meath at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Every ladies football championship since 2002 - when Mayo defeated Monaghan in the final - had featured either Cork or Dublin in the decider. Following a dramatic weekend of quarter-final action, that will not be the case this year. Dublin were dumped out by Donegal, and Cork by Mayo. The championship had been spoken of as one of the most open in years. That talk is now the reality.
"We definitely played a part in that," says Duggan.
"No one expected us to get to the point we're at. When other teams see it, they're going to believe they can do it. That's been shown this year.
"It's been unbelievably competitive. You really, really can't call any game. You can't predict who's going to win. That's exactly the way you want it. You don't want to be going to any game complacent. It's really, really interesting, and great for the progression of the game as well.
"It's the most open championship I've ever seen, not even played in, but watched as well. If you were to say at the start of the year that this would be the last four teams left in the competition, I think you probably would have laughed, not having Dublin or Cork there.
"They've nothing to be disappointed with - well, ashamed of. They've had that dominance over the last few years and I suppose it just didn't work out for them at the weekend.
"It's brilliant to see other teams coming up on really believing that they can do it."
10 April 2022; Meath captain Shauna Ennis lifts the cup as she celebrates with her teammates after their side's victory in the Lidl Ladies Football National League Division 1 Final between Donegal and Meath at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Duggan says talk of winning back-to-back championships has not been aired in the Meath dressing room. What they do want to prove is that last season wasn't a "one-hit wonder". Like Cork and Dublin did for the past two decades, Meath want to regularly top the charts.
And if they could get to the final, Duggan says it would be a memorable farewell for Lally and Wall.
"I'm living in hope that they'll certainly be back for another season, if it works out that way," says Duggan.
"I wouldn't say it's our last opportunity to go for it but it will be a special way to send them off this year anyway. So hopefully we get the win at the weekend and push on for the final."
59 nóim #MTHvGAL
@meathladiesMLGF 1-12@GalwayLgfa 1-11
EMMA DUGGAN!! CRÍOCH DOCHREIDTE!! 😀😍
That crossbar has been busy this evening!
@LadiesFootball
#ProperFan #GAABEO
BEO AR @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/IBkHbfXKiW— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) July 9, 2022
See Also: The Weekend That Turned Ladies Gaelic Football Completely On Its Head
