WITH 12 WATERFORD SFC medals in her pocket, Aileen Wall is well used to winning county finals, but as Ballymacarbry aim to win a mind-boggling 39th Waterford title in-a-row, joint captain Wall is tuned in to the potential pitfalls.
Ballymacarbry take on Stradbally in tomorrow’s Déise decider at Fraher Field and as a first time joint captain alongside Laura Mulcahy, she is determined to maintain the winning run that started 13 years before she was born.
The Michael Ryan-managed side are overwhelming favourites to progress to the Munster championship, but after a close-run thing in last year’s decider against Comeragh Rangers, who were beaten by Stradbally in this year’s semi-final, victory is far from guaranteed.
“In the last few years it has been getting closer and closer for us. Seven years ago we hammered Comeragh Rangers but last year we were behind for three-quarters of the final,” says primary school teacher Wall.
“We expected them to win their semi-final and really challenge us again, so this is going to be no joke. If Stradbally beat them it means they are up for it and going pretty well at the moment.
“That was a big turn up for the books, so we really have to be ready for them now. They’re a totally new challenge for us this weekend.”
Carrying the mantle of annual champions must be a weighty load for everyone in Ballymacarbry. Wall admits the expectation to beat all round them brings its pressures, but so far the panel has managed to park their success and restart each season with a clear focus.
There is a pressure there alright. You are not going to be the team that loses, but I suppose you have to put that out of your mind and think that this is the only one we have to win. Nothing else matters, it’s just all about the game on Sunday.
“That roll of honour there is fantastic, it’s a wonderful thing for the club to look back on, but that means absolutely nothing this weekend.
“When we started this year we didn’t know what would come with the pandemic, but the only thing that was in our minds was to win the 2020 championship.”
She continues: “There are players on the team like Michelle Ryan and my sister Linda, they have played in maybe 20 of those finals, but then there are girls for whom this is their first senior county final. When I started, those 26 years before me didn’t mean anything to me. I was going in and I wanted my first one.
It’s not a matter of just going out and turning up. People look at that Ballymac have won so many, but what difference does it make? Those 38 are gone now, it’s the one that’s ahead that’s the most important for us. This one is the one that means the most for us.”
As glory-filled as Wall’s county championship experience has been, her provincial journey has been the complete opposite. Despite Ballymac being the record 14-time champions, all seven of Wall’s Munster finals have ended in heartbreak.
Last weekend, double All-Ireland champions Mourneabbey lost their first Cork final in seven years, but losing to divisional side, West Cork, means they will still progress to defend their Munster title, which is named in honour of Ballymac manager Ryan.
Losing the last three provincial finals to Mourneabbey stung the Waterford champions, but Wall doesn’t want to entertain provincial notions for now.
“To be honest it is not something that we have thought about really. Mourneabbey are very far away from our thoughts at the moment. If you win Waterford you have to go on and play the Kerry champions. Then you might get a crack at Mourneabbey if they get through their side.
“It was a bit of news that travelled around the group that they were beaten. To know that they are beatable is good. But it’s like us and Comeragh Rangers, they have been getting close to us.
“They are out of our minds right now and Stradbally are the ones. We don’t know a major amount about them and we have avoided them in real crunch games. They are a young, dangerous team and we are totally focused on them.”
Family and community are the heart of every club in the country and having the Wall clan close will be important this weekend. Aileen’s sister Mairéad remains a key cog of Ballymacarbry and Waterford teams, while her eldest sister Linda – county captain when Waterford won the 2015 TG4 All-Ireland Intermediate title – is also back in the panel this year.
“Linda had a little baby girl last year, but this year she came back for a couple of training sessions to chip in and got hooked again! It’s fantastic that she did come back. She’s not pushing to start, but she’s happy enough where she is and to be there if we need her.
“Mairéad is still playing away too and was involved with the county panel before lockdown too. I presume she’ll carry on – I’d say she’ll give it another lash. It’s brilliant to have them both here.
Over the last number of years with the three of us involved, my parents haven’t missed a match, ever. I can’t remember them ever not being there. If we were going playing tiddlywinks they’d go to watch us.
“They haven’t been able to come this year, and that was hard. It is very hard on all the parents of the players, especially the older people that have loved going to the games to see their team.
“We have some supporters that really make a massive effort to get to the games. It will be hard for some of them this weekend, even though we hope some of them get to see the game.
“The game will be live streamed, but not everyone has access to that or knows how to do it. Hopefully everyone can be helped out and get to see the game somehow.
“And hopefully our own run will continue for the next while. Getting over this weekend is the important one.”
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Gleeson needs to grow a few more brain cells and quit launching crazy needless long range shots, other than that he has to potential to emulate Ken McGrath, and that’s saying a lot
Put what Gleeson has been doing in context of a Waterford side who half the time had no one in the final third. I don’t think there’s been a more skilful and impressive player than Austin gleeson this year.
James
He needs to mature, there were times against Kilkenny in both matches were he took on way too much, he has the ability to be the best player in the country and if he adjusts this flaw he will be, however he is not quite there yet.
Totally agree he needs to mature. That wasn’t my point. My point is that I think he’s been the most skilful player this year.
Dunno about skill per se, he’s an unbelievable athlete and serious fielder of the ball with a super engine but Callanan’s point yesterday where he took the ball down with the hurley was the skill-laden cherry on top of an all round display
James watch Gleason’s performance against Wexford. I have never seen a player hit so many balls into the middle of nowhere and racking up wides like they were gone out of fashion. To a lesser extent he was like that in every match this year so while exception at times someone who was so wasteful and reckless at times does not deserve player of the year.
It will be callinan or p maher(wing back)
When was the last time a player who didn’t play in the final get player of the year
2007, Dan shanahan,
Remember it now. He scored a heap that year
Can we call a spade a spade here and realise that callanan before the final was very inconsistent. Definitely incredible in the final, definitely man of the match but definitely not player of the year.
Seamie all day. He has consistently been the most dangerous and effective scorer in the country for the last 3 seasons. Given enough service he is essentially unplayable, even on the rare quiet days like the Galway semi he still provides a focal point for the attack and a telling contribution in winning the game. Factor that almost every other team in country ,with the exception of KK, essentially tailor their game plan to stopping him, sometimes putting 2/3 players on him.
Never read such spoof in my life. There’s literally nothing factual in your comment.
Actually most of what he said was right, me thinks it’s you that’s doing the spoofing
Lads there’s an article down a couple scrolls about callanan being inconsistent!
While he was inconsistent in his early career, he was unfairly marginalised during Dec Ryan’s tenure, and in the last 3 seasons as a regular starter he has been the most devastating forward in the country in Championship proper (fact). The scoring statistics back this up, his nearest rivals TJ and Joe Show have been their teams free takers during this period, a role Seamie has only held intermittently. Cork, Limerick, Waterford detailed sweepers to play directly in front of him (fact), and anyone with eyes could see Daiti Burke was stuck to him in a semi (a great performance by Burke) even at the expense of ignoring the general play at times.
Has to be Callahan. Unplayable this year in fairness . We could not handle him in final and maybe no changes were made to halt him was because we had no one to handle on the field or on the bench .
Callanan
Wouldn’t say he was unplayable this year, Daithi Burke did a good job on him in the semi final
He still got the key play in, which was the pass for the goal, that won the day
Incidentally Austin Gleesons temperament is very suspect no one can question his ability but could and should have been sent off in both munster finals against tipp
Padraic Maher… the big hits, the physical fitness, the classy points, the last ditch tackles… made dung of canning with that shoulder, HOTY all day long boys
Wel call a spade a spade james nobody and i mean nobody has the scoring record from play of Seamie Callinan not T.j reid not Richie Hogan hes averaged 5 points from play this season and if you take the Galway match out of it where there was 2 men on him at all times its even more impressive. How in the name of god do you call that inconsistant… even against galway which he was carrying an injury into he still nailed all his frees and set up a peach of a goal
Callinan was not double marked against Galway. Daithi Burke was the only player marking him. Aidan Harte was sweeping across the full back line but was not double marking Callinan.
Seamus Callanan will win it well but Brendan Maher has put in some heroic shifts this year and deserves a lot of credit
154 votes for Hogan? Are you well at all.
Callanan for me.To score 9 points from play in an All Ireland final is special even if KK were poor on the day .
Gleeson will win it soon though.
In 20 years 13 forwards 5 backs and 2 middle of the field. It will be a forward scores win matches simple!
How could Austin get it didn’t touch a ball in munster final