Wall nominated for RTE award

Vikki Wall is one of eight nominee for the RTE Sport Sportsperson of the Year following Meath's inspirational victory in the Ladies All-Ireland SFC final against Dublin.

Wall is one of six women nominated for the award which will be presented on RTE One on Saturday 18th December. Meath manager Eamonn Murray is also expected to be nominated in the Manager of the Year category, while Meath should also be among the contenders for the 'Team of the Year' prize.

Wall scored 1-06 during the Championship, and produced a 'Player of the Match' performance in their famous final victory over Dublin. Named the Senior Players' Player of the Year after a superb attacking display for the Royal County, she was also Player of the Match when Dunboyne clinched the Ladies Leinster Club SFC title for the first time last weekend.

There's a strong argument to be made that Wall has been the most consistent footballer, male or female over the past two years.

The Dunboyne forward entered this year as the intermediate footballer of the year in 2020, and finished 2021 with the senior award, not to mention an All-Ireland medal as Meath tore up the script to land a first ever Brendan Martin Cup.

The swashbuckling Royals sunk Cork in the semi-final with a late surge that took the game to extra-time, and in the decider, played with the same attacking verve to deny Dublin four in a row.

At the heart of that was key forward Wall. The 23-year-old plundered 1-3 during the championship campaign and produced a player of the match performance in the decider.

The throw-in for the final demonstrated her all-action style, going to midfield for the throw-in, winning possession and running right down the heart of the Dublin defence before drawing the foul.

Her ability to attract defenders and create space for others laid the foundation for Meath’s unlikely success, and was one of eight players to secure an All-Star for her all-round displays.

She fought off stiff competition from team-mates Emma Troy and club-mate Emma Duggan to scoop the player of the year award, and its little surprise that a move to Australia to the AFLW has been touted.

Having started a Masters in DCU in September, Wall says she is committed to remaining in Ireland in 2022, but didn’t rule out a move Down Under to join the growing legion of Irish players trying their hand at the oval game down the line.

"I’ve had a few conversations over the last year or so, but it’s still up in the air," she said.

For the immediate future, defenders around the country know they will have their hands full next season when Wall looks to pick up where she left off in the green jersey.

The other people nominated for the Sportsperson of the Year award include Rachael Blackmore, Kellie Harrington, Ellen Keane, Cian Lynch, Leona Maguire, Jason Smyth and Katie Taylor.

Tipperary jockey Blackmore became the first woman to win the Aintree Grand National aboard Minella Times, which came after she was the first female to be crowned 'Top Jockey' at Cheltenham Festival, with six wins, including in the Champion Hurdle with Honeysuckle.

Portland Row boxer Harrington won gold in the lightweight boxing final at Tokyo Games. She delivered an exhibition of intelligent fighting to claim her unanimous decision victory over reigning world champion Beatriz Ferreira of Brazil.

Clontarf swimmer Keane won her first gold at her fourth Paralympics Games, claiming Ireland's first medal in Tokyo. The 26-year-old took gold in the SB8 100m breaststroke with the best performance of her life.

Limerick hurler Lynch hit six points as the Treaty defeated Cork in the All-Ireland final, his dominant display at the end of a superb season deservedly earning him the man-of-the-match award.

Cavan golfer Maguire started the year at 177 in the world rankings but had jumped to 43 by season's end, thanks to a host of consistent performances on the LPGA Tour. She also competed at the Tokyo Games and starred for the victorious Team Europe in the Solheim Cup, taking 4.5 points out of 5 - a record for a rookie.

Derry sprinter Smyth won Paralympic gold for the sixth time - and fourth Games in a row - after a dramatic T13 100m final in Tokyo, edging Algeria's Skander Djamil Athmani in a photo finish by just 0.01 seconds to cement his place amongst the Paralympic greats.

'Pride of Bray' Taylor remains the undisputed lightweight world champion after twice this year successfully defending her titles. Natasha Jonas was beaten on a hard-fought points decision in Manchester, before American Jennifer Han was defeated with ease in Leeds. Taylor fights Firuza Sharipova on Saturday night in Liverpool.

The winner of the award will be selected by a judging panel and the awards ceremony on RTE One will be presented by Joanne Cantwell and Darragh Maloney.