*Wayne Freeman. Photograph: Burren Eye Photography
FORMER Clare ladies football boss Wayne Freeman has been appointed as the new Meath manager.
Meath LGFA have confirmed the appointment of Wayne as successor to Shane McCormack. He was ratified at their October County Board meeting for a three-year term.
McCormack guided Meath to reach this year’s All-Ireland final where they lost to Dublin 2-16 0-10. Freeman had been head coach to the side this season and makes the step up to manager.
Kildare native Wayne served as manager of the Clare intermediates for two seasons and called time on his tenure in June 2024. Clare reached the All-Ireland intermediate decider in 2023 losing to Kildare by a single point and they were eliminated in the quarter-finals the following year to Tyrone, again losing by a single point.
Clare won the Division 3 National League during Freeman’s stint and were promoted to the second tier for 2025 but have been relegated back down for next year. He cited the commute from Kildare to Clare as a big factor for his exit when speaking to The Clare Echo.
Prior to taking charge of Clare, Wayne was manager of the Louth ladies for three seasons, winning Division 4 of the National League during this time. The Monastervan’s clubman playing career was cut short by injury at the age of twenty one.
Wayne said of his new role, “I am very happy to accept the opportunity to manage this brilliant group of players. I thoroughly enjoyed working with the group as the head coach throughout 2025, and I am excited about building on the foundations we’ve built as a group, continuing to develop and improve in 2026”.
Under Eamonn Murray, Meath won back to back All-Ireland senior titles in 2021 and 2022. The Royals defeated Clare in the 2020 All-Ireland intermediate semi-final before securing promotion to the top tier. Murray was the most decorated ladies football manager in the county. He is now involved with the Cavan gaelic football side.
