O’Meara out to make a name on the big stage

It’s already been a superb hurling season, cracking games at every level from minor to senior; the Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21 final in Semple Stadium this evening looks set to augment what has gone before.

Clare are the reigning champions and their stuttering win against Waterford in the semi-final notwithstanding, again look very strong this year, with nine from the senior panel that will face Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday week.

Tipperary, however, are the form side. In their semi-final win, a 15-point hammering of a fancied Cork side, they looked to be the team of all the talents, up front especially. Senior star Jason Forde led the scoring with 2-8, full-forward Bill Walsh was direct and lethal with his 2-1 return, but the man pulling the strings for them was centre-forward and captain Niall ‘Bill’ O’Meara, brother of senior panellist Brian ‘Boogie’.

He’s a mature individual is Niall, ambitious both on and off the field, determined to make the most of himself. A student primary schoolteacher, he was a member of the Mary Immaculate side that surprised everyone by reaching the final of this year’s Fitzgibbon Cup, where they went under eventually to a very strong UCC outfit. He has continued that form with the Tipp U21s and sees this evening not just as a last opportunity to win something at underage, but perhaps to stake a claim on the bigger stage.

“We are hungry; Jason Forde has done so much hurling and he doesn’t have a medal with Tipp. It’s like that for everyone and we are just mad to get going. A lot of lads are probably feeling that this is their chance now with the seniors gone down badly. Against Limerick they (seniors) were bad and against Kilkenny they were unlucky. A lot of lads would be thinking if they hurl well they will get in, based on Clare’s foundations of having a lot of U21s who are starring for their seniors. As well as losing last year (Clare beat them with a last-minute goal) it’s probably further motivation, that if you play well for the rest of this year you’ll get on the (senior) panel for next year. That’s the great motivator for any player, that’s what you are striving for since the age of 12, to make the senior set-up. A lot of lads will be there or thereabouts next year.”

If he maintains his current form Niall is very likely to be one of those – in fact the surprise is that he isn’t already there. Reasons for that, he says, in a very blunt self-assessment. “I wouldn’t say I’ve been knocking on the door; I’ve been hurling ‘iffy’ for the last couple of years, got a trial with Declan Ryan (former manager) and didn’t take it. Boogie would have more natural ability; when he made the step-up early I had a good year minor and was earmarked but things haven’t progressed, I haven’t been hurling well enough. I’ll just keep going and hope to try and make it yet.”