DOROTHY WALL WASN’T daunted by the suddenness of her first senior cap for Ireland this year.
It was half-time in her side’s Six Nations opener against Scotland, and team captain Ciara Griffin was forced to withdraw after feeling unwell.
There was just six points between the sides at the break, and only four points separated them at full-time in what was a tense arm wrestle throughout.
Picking up victories in all three of Ireland’s home games was an important goal for Adam Griggs’ side at the outset of the campaign. But the 20-year-old Wall didn’t feel an ounce of the pressure as she entered the fray.
The stats of her individual display illustrate that. She made 20 tackles in that 40-minute spell while also completing three powerful carries, as Ireland got off the mark with an important win.
Even looking back on it now in October as the Covid-delayed tournament resumes, she doesn’t recall any anxiety about the day.
“I wasn’t nervous,” she tells the media ahead of Ireland’s next Six Nations clash with Italy on Saturday evening.
“I was so into it on the bench, I nearly exhausted myself in the first half so in my mind I was on the pitch.
But I was ready to get out there and once you make that first tackle, it settles your nerves and Ciara had me well versed so I was happy to get on the pitch and do something for the team.”
Wall built on that promising start against Scotland with another fine display the following week when Ireland hosted Wales.
Again, it was an off-the-bench appearance, with Wall getting just 19 minutes to repeat the trick. She did so by making 70 metres in seven carries, including a 40-metre linebreak.
She backed up her form again in Ireland’s third Six Nations outing against England, making six tackles and three carries after being introduced.
It’s been a steady rise for the Tipperary native who only first began playing rugby as a transition year student. Basketball was her main love in sport before that.
Having already banked some vital game time, Wall has now been rewarded with a first start for Ireland against Italy this weekend.
“Yeah I’m really excited,” says Wall, who is currently based in Dublin on hospital placement as a radiography student.
“I was delighted to get my first cap in February and we’ve kind of been building since then.
“It’s great to start but not much changes from my perspective in terms of my prep and things, but I’m very excited.”
Ireland’s pack has been hit by injuries ahead of the Italy showdown. Lock Aoife McDermott is unavailable while back rows Edel McMahon and Claire McLaughlin are also out.
But Wall is slotting in alongside stalwarts Claire Molloy and captain Ciara Griffin to form a formidable back three.
I’ve watched them both play for years. What I lack in experience they make up in abundance. I feel very safe in the back three. They’re wise heads so I’m looking forward to playing with them.”
Remarking on their last Six Nations fixture against England — their only defeat of the tournament so far — Wall adds.
“We were six or seven months in lockdown, we’re not going to be thinking about the negatives of that English game the whole time.
“There were so many good things that happened over those three games and I think we’re all just looking forward to getting back and working on those mistakes and working on what we did well too and get to a better point.”
Due to the Level 5 lockdown restrictions, Ireland’s game at Energia Park will be played behind closed doors.
Wall spoke to the IRFU website about celebrating her first Ireland cap with her grandmother and ‘biggest fan’, Betsy O’Connor, earlier this year. But on Saturday, her family will have to support the next step of her international career from home.
“My mum rings me about seven times a day wondering about different things and my gran is the same,” says Wall.
They’re very much in tune with what’s going on and I’m sure they’ll all be watching at home in Tipperary and I’m sure I’ll have post match analysis with all of them after.
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Kevin Mc should feel very very hard done by.
Kevin McManamon that is.
@Aideen Thornton: Yeah, he had a great year.
John Small was another player who deserves a mention, half back line was very competitive area.
overall decent selection. always one or two debatable picks. Really puts Clarke’s non selection on replay into question. Unlucky were cian o Sullivan, Peter acheson, Kevin mc, Gary Brennan. Then again hard to get everyone in.
@clumley: Cluxton conceded 6, Clarke conceded 6. Cluxton was never dropped and had superior kickouts and Dublin played tougher opposition. Worth noting which teams the goals were conceded against. Comerford conceded 6 in Munster alone and a further 5 in the 4th round, quarters and semi which ruled him out. Kerry goalie only conceded 2 and kept a clean sheet against Dublin. If kickouts were the deciding factor, anyone have the stats?
Tougher opposition!? Have you SEEN Leinster football in the last 10 years???
@Jack Strong: the all-stars are decided on the last couple of games, sad but true. Dublin played Donegal, Kerry and Mayo twice and thats were most goals were conceded out of the six for Cluxton. Mayo did well to pass the mighty Londoners! Leinster is not a great standard at the moment but neither is Munster or Connacht. A semi final against Kerry tends to be a little tougher than meeting Tipp.
So the All Stars are decided in the last 3 games but you just had to throw in your remark about having to play London against London? Good man. Cluxton conceded 3 against Laois who aren’t exactly world beaters.
A Quarter final (where we went in as underdogs) against Tyrone is every bit as tough as Kerry.
By your own logic Cluxton’s meltdown in the semi final is the reason he didn’t win one as that’s far more important than any other game in the season.
Laois scored 2
Reading dubs comments on a lot of these threads makes me cringe. Be a bit more gracious there lads , don’t give them any more reason to dislike us. Congrats to all all star winners
@Cormac O’Gara: It’s not being ungracious, debate about commissions is fairly routine and any fan will focus on their own. Six is a great haul but its not about the number, individual players had a good case for selection and whats being said is just people trying to recognise their input.
@Frainc Ó Broin: *Omissions not commissions
No cluxton what the f¥ck is going on. Clarke wouldn’t lace his boots
@The metropolitans: Ah Cluxton has plenty and 3 Celtic Crosses so far on his mantel piece with Sam tucked up safely in the captial for the winter will help soften the blow for us Dubs too :)
Mantle*
4 Celtic crosses
@The metropolitans: All Stars are for the best players this year, not the best players in general. Going by your logic, should Bernard Brogan, Colm Cooper and Sean Cavanagh win All Stars every year?
@The metropolitans: Clarke is a top goalkeeper, both conceded the same number of goals, I think he was unlucky.
Kev mc deserved an all star , cluxton had 8 mins of a meltdown and they give it to Clarke who his own manager didn’t even have faith in him haha . Just shows how high cluxton has set his standards that a few mins cost him over a keeper who was dropped .
Cluxton is running out of room on the mantle piece so they gave it to a lad dropped for the replay and made no difference when brought on. When you think about it long and hard it makes perfect sense.
Harsh Ned. Clarke should never have been dropped for the replay, that’s a known fact at this stage.
What about Cluxton in the semi final against Kerry? His misplaced kick outs and indecisiveness simply invited Kerry back into that game.
As mentioned above Gavin it was short spell in the first half of a match. He didnt miss one kick out after. In the replay he had a fantastic game. He was the only keeper to have a good game that day.
Thought Evan Comerford was very unlucky
Future looks bright for Mayo. 2 of the young additions to Mayo this year, one got an All Star and one will feel hard done by who didn’t get one in Durcan. Add that’s with DOC who will likely get young player of the year and the general age profile of the team Mayo are well placed to put in a big championship next season. Former all star Caff coming back from injury also for next season. Rochford needs get the most of a talented forward line who were generally average this year and it could be a strong year next year. Just to add re Durcan- it was an excellent season of performances from him especially taking his Mitchels performances into consideration. He was unbelievable against Crossmaglen in club semi final. A definite all star in my book.
Yeah all that is true, but you seem to be forgetting about the curse……
Cluxton has had two spells now of ten minutes each where he lost his way a little, that’s 20 minutes in 15 years. One player, 15 years, 20 minutes. It’s cringeworthy that he’s not in the team.
This is not some sort of life time achievement Award. It’s based on this year and this year alone. Cluxton has been below his own high standards and made som big mistakes in crucial games
Because of ten minutes ? And your point that he was below his own high standards is vacuous, the only standard that matters is that set by his peers.
@gary sheehan: He is not rated on his own high standards, is rated against the others in contention. Fair play to Clarke, he is a top goalie, which be interesting to find out why one player was selected over another.
You clearly didn’t see him play early in his career if you think that
@Stíofán Mac Piarais: are you referring to Clarke or Cluxton?
Clarke ahead of Cluxton. Holy god where do they get this stuff from.
A complete and utter sympathy selection. If Clarke hadn’t been dropped for the replay, he wouldn’t be getting an All Star. Crazy.
It’s funny that the player who most pundits say has changed the game most in the past decade and most others keepers try copy but can’t match,not forgetting he has four all Ireland winners medals. Two are back to back. Doesn’t get an all star in the last two years. He is the one players dublin have not been able to replace. Take a bow me cluxton
On the Button ! Every team that takes on Dublin looks at Cluxtons kick outs to try and stop his delivery’s ! The reason Fenton is so good is his mobility and Cluxtons ability to hit him with balls 50 yards from Goal ! The reason why Clarke was dropped in the 1st place was to get a better delivery ala Cluxton like to Mayos midfield etc ! I think it’s fair to say that if anyone was picking a team to win a game Cluxton would be No 1 ! He had a fantastic season and although kerry picked his pockets for a few minutes he had the balls to regroup and deliver pin point delivery’s thereafter !
So with the exception of a few tokens to pretend its not all a farce they really just wanted the rest of the Dublin and mayo teams….. Its the reason 90% of the country could give a rats a$$ about Allstars. Usually you can tell by and large who they will be once squads are announced at the beginning of the campaign…..