VIKKI: I’M NOT AWAY FOREVER
VIKKI WALL insists she’ll play for Meath again beyond Sunday’s TG4 All-ireland ladies football final – she’s just not sure when exactly.
The reigning Footballer of the Year is expected to play a key role against Kerry before shifting her focus to AFLW duty.
Wall has signed up for the North Melbourne Kangaroos who are due to open their season against Gold Coast on August 27.
The Dunboyne All-star is adamant Sunday won’t be her last dance, stating: “I’m definitely not done playing for Meath yet. I don’t have a definite plan but yeah, I’m definitely not done playing for Meath.”
The powerful playmaker will be joined in Australia by Meath midfielder Orlagh Lally (inset), bringing to 21 the number of Irish players that will compete in the seventh season of the AFLW.
Wall’s importance to Meath is clear though it was a good sign that they performed so strongly in the 10 minutes when she was in the sin-bin late in the All-ireland semifinal defeat of Donegal. The scores were level when she was shown yellow for a collision with Nicole Mclaughlin, apparently tipping the scales in Donegal’s direction but Meath outscored them by 0-3 to 0-1 from there on.
Responding strongly to adversity has been a theme of their season.
Wall said: “We definitely rise to the challenge. I don’t know if you’d say we play our best football under pressure like that though.
“We’ve also had some very good performances where we haven’t been behind or chasing the game. But it’s a good sign that when the pressure is on we can react.”
Wall shrugged at the suggestion that it was a harsh call to send her to the sin bin.
She said: “Once you’re off the pitch, I’ve never seen a referee change their mind in those kinds of scenarios.”
On the challenge facing her this weekend, Wall said: “We’ve played
Kerry once or twice the last few years and we know the calibre that they have up front. But then they have a huge strength in the backs too, you saw the likes of Kayleigh Cronin the last day making great blocks.
“So whilst they’re scoring up one end, they’re also defending well at the other end.
“There are challenges from Kerry all over the pitch and we have a huge respect for them as a football team.”