Munster Express Online

The bragging rights in the Wall household fell to Aileen on Saturday night at the Ladies Football All-Stars, after the 21-year old forward scooped the Intermediate Player of the Year award for 2015.
Aileen’s older sister Linda was also nominated for the award, along with Leitrim’s Áine Tighe – a team-mate of Aileen’s at UL.
The sisters were also nominated for All-Star awards, but failed to be chosen on the night, in a selection that included six players from Cork; four from Dublin, two from Monaghan, and one each from Kerry, Mayo and Armagh.
“It’s just been crazy now since the All-Ireland,” Aileen said.
“It was just a bonus to get the nomination and then when I rang home my mum Mary said Linda has just called to say she’s got a nomination.
“We couldn’t believe it. It was a week later then when we found out about the ‘Player’s Player of the Year’ nominations. That was a big shock again to have the two of us up against each other for that, with only three nominated.
“We were a bit shocked, but we didn’t mind – once one of us brought it home!
Aileen says 2015 will live long in the memory, with an O’Connor Cup title with UL; a county Championship with Ballymacarbry and of course an All-Ireland Intermediate success with Waterford.
“It was a great year for Waterford, and it was great that nine of the girls and the management came to support us at the All-Stars on Saturday,” Aileen said.
“That showed that they really wanted us to do well as well. There would be no nominations had we not won the All-Ireland.
“It’s really down to the hard work that everyone else put in. The nominations are really for the team – just to show how good we did.”
And so it’s up to the top table come 2016 – another team trying to knock Cork off their pedestal – but Aileen is realistic and knows it will be tough.
“It will be my first time to play Senior Football. When I joined in 2010 we were Intermediate until now, so I’m really looking forward to experiencing that.
“It will be tougher and teams will be much stronger, but it will be a challenge. We’ll have to step it up.
“There’s a few years of a challenge ahead of us. Cork are a bit out of reach at the moment. I think we’ll have to aim a bit lower – just for the first year anyway and find our feet.
“Maybe to try and take the lower teams in Senior first. We need to bring in players from underage and built it up and let them get experience, and maybe in two or three years, we might take on the mighty Cork!”