By then O’Meara was 29, already eight years on the Tipperary squad and “acutely aware that the years were slipping by”,
“You’re coming through an era where teams weren’t winning All-Irelands back-to-back regularly, I vividly remember at the time everyone thinking no one will ever win a back-to-back again, it’s gone so semi-professional. You are aware of all that. The realisation then that you are not playing,” he reflects.
“We had been throwing around the idea of an injunction. Numerous solicitors contacted me about offering their services. I remember discussing it with Nicky, we had a quick chat with the county board and it was apparent the board would, under no circumstances, consider it. Con Hogan was chairman at the time and it was just a ‘no’.