Graham Geraghty has become used to attending the ball and the slipper fitting. For nine years he has waltzed in the finest ballrooms with Meath, picking up All Star awards as both a defender and an attacker, writes Johnny Watterson

His broad-based Gaelic football talent is unquestioned but recently Geraghty added a novel twist to his career. Following Meath's defeat by Donegal in this year's championship, Geraghty announced his retirement and at 29, declared his love for another code. He embraced rugby and no sooner had the keening around Navan ceased than the former county captain was driving to Athlone to train with All Ireland League Division One side Buccaneers.

"I've been down with Buccs last Monday and Tuesday night and Wednesday," he says. "It was grand going through different drills. But most of the squad are involved with Connacht so they're not there. I've been doing drill work and tip rugby. You wouldn't be getting involved in heavy tackles just yet. I've been doing basic starting skills, ball handling and kicking."

While former Meath player David Beggy, who continues to play rugby with Navan, also made the transition some years ago, the difference is Geraghty has never played competitive club rugby.

Beggy was a rugby player who converted to Gaelic football, while Geraghty was originally noted as a soccer talent who played with Drogheda United and as a teenager had a trial with Arsenal.

"Soccer didn't really come into it (after retiring from Gaelic football). The rugby was something I wanted to do. I wanted to get away from Gaelic and do something different.

"People have said to me "you'll be back next year", a few knockers, but you get used to that. Most people I've spoken to have wished me the best of luck."

Geraghty has given himself 12 months to earn a place on the Buccaneers first team, which means that in a relatively short time he would be playing against the best club sides in Ireland and a number of international players. But he refuses to allow the challenge to make him dizzy.

"Obviously I'll aim for the first team. If I wasn't able to push for that, I wouldn't be going down training. I think they've 10 players on the Connacht squad so it's going to be hard to break in.

"I'd be used to getting tackled. A lot of the training is knowing how to take them (tackles) and give them. That's part of the learning process. I don't find it too hard. Passing the ball is hard to get used to, the spinning. I'd say I'll be playing in the backs. They'd be talking about full back at the start. It will take three or four games to get into it."

Buccaneers, who have a new coach in Kiwi John McKee, are taking the move in their stride. Their reaction is like that of any club if a 29-year-old, extremely fit, proven athlete walked up to the door and asked to join. But the club and seasoned players are also aware of the dangers of novices coming late to the game, especially in the area of broken play and tackling. The modern game demands that even a winger or full backoccasionally has to become a forward and take down players four or five stone heavier.

"He's come down to train a few times now, to give it a shot. It will be a different challenge for him. It's obvious he hasn't played before, but you'd expect that. We'll just wait and see," said a Buccaneers official.

Geraghty's disarmingly cheery optimism about the conversion is not just a brave face. He doesn't see failure on the horizon. But even if it doesn't work out with Buccaneers, it is not as if one failed year in rugby would negate almost a decade at the top in Gaelic football. His legacy around Seneschalstown is safe.

"I haven't spoken to David Beggy," he says. "He played for Buccs for a season as well. I'll have a chat with him over the next few days. I'll get some advice there, I'd say." Probably a lot.