For the 1996 season Tommy was made captain of an unfancied Meath team. In his victory speech after the Leinster final Tommy told the crowd 'you ain't seen nothing yet'. He was proved right as later on that season Tommy led Meath to the All Ireland earning the All Ireland Final RTÉ 'Man of the Match' award and scoring the decisive goal in that final. Injuries meant Tommy played only a bit part in Meath's 1999 All Ireland win.[citation needed]
After retirement
Following his retirement, Dowd moved into coaching and was a selector under Colm Coyle,[3] who managed Meath from September 2006 to July 2008.[2] He is married with two daughters and runs his own company, Tommy Dowd Oil.