Vikki the supporting Wall as Meath restart the party

When Meath lost by 40 points to Cork in 2015, 'Victoria' Wall scored their only three points

Sat, 02 Aug, 2025 - 07:19

Paul Keane

When the ball is thrown in at Croke Park tomorrow, it'll be exactly 10 years since Meath faced Cork in an All-Ireland qualifier in Thurles and lost by 40 points.

Cork put 7-22 on the board on the afternoon of August 3, 2015, to Meath's solitary three points.

Cork went on to win the All-Ireland but if you'd told any of their supporters at the end of that season that Meath would outscore them by two to zero in the Brendan Martin Cup count before 2025 rolled around, you'd have been laughed out of it.

It was a 17-year-old, widely reported as Victoria Wall, that scored each of those three points for Meath in the 2015 encounter.

These days, she goes by Vikki and the christian name alone sparks instant recognition.

Her list of achievements across that decade is remarkable from All-Ireland wins at the senior and intermediate grades with Meath, Player of the Year and All-Star awards, to winning an AFLW Premiership with North Melbourne last December, when she scored two goals. She had a stint with the Irish rugby sevens team across 2023 and 2024 too.

Throw in her role in leading Dunboyne to All-Ireland junior and intermediate titles at the expense of Cork teams Bantry (2015) and Kinsale (2017) - she scored goals in each final - as well as her four points in the 2021 Leinster club senior final win, and you have a quite phenomenal career. All by the age of 27.

"I think it's been winning and losing over the years that's probably brought us all so close," said Wall.

"In 2018, 2019, those two years for Meath were definitely pivotal in terms of creating a core group, a lot of them are still here. The losing and the craic we had, it hurt so much at times.

"The stories that we still talk about probably are more centred around 2018, 2019, when we just had great fun. Those times and memories, as much as they hurt at the time, you don't realise how pivotal they are for a group of young players like that which came together."

Meath operated in the intermediate ranks in those years of 2018 and 2019, losing All-Ireland finals in both seasons. They finally got over the line in 2020, beating Westmeath to return to the senior ranks. Then the fun really started with landmark senior successes in 2021 and 2022.

But when the Eamonn Murray management team broke up after that, and results spiralled, many presumed the party was over.

"No, that was never the perception inside the group," contested Wall, who missed virtually all of last year due to rugby commitments. "I could understand that from the outside perspective. We've lost to Kerry in quarter-finals in each of the last two years.

"Going out at the quarter-final stage, you're in the top eight, okay, but top eight is a far, far cry from being in an All-Ireland final.

"I think this year we were very conscious of the potential within the group but also knowing that you still had to get the scores and you still had to get the results on the day.

"Knowing there's potential there and actually executing it are two very different things."

Wall's presence for the entire season, allowing her to link up again with her sister, Sarah, and clubmate Emma Duggan, has been significant.

"I probably didn't see it happening last November, December, to be back in with Meath this year," she revealed. "So, for me, I've just enjoyed this year so much.

"Even when results weren't going our way, or when we wouldn't be happy with things, like driving to training every day and stuff, I was still just really grateful to be here and just really lapping it up and enjoying it with the girls.

"I don't know whether I'm a bit more present than in other years or something but I suppose, for me, that probably feels a little bit different. So yeah, I'm really enjoying it."

What might have kept her away from football in 2025, rugby?

"No, I just wasn't too sure," she shrugged. "I suppose finishing up in Oz and it had been a long enough year and a half and stuff before that. But look, just delighted to be back in with the girls. It's been class."

Megan Thynne, Meath's dynamo half-forward, and midfielder Marion Farrelly also lined out against Cork a decade ago and are expected to start tomorrow. Shauna Ennis could start again too, if she slips in as expected for the injured Katie Newe, while current sub goalkeeper Monica McGuirk was the number one in 2015.

McGuirk also has iconic status within Meath ladies football, a three-time All-Star and two-time All-Ireland winner. She's being kept out of the team by Robyn Murray, an adventurous young 'keeper who, along with Kerrie Cole and Ciara Smyth represents a new wave of talent.

"There's a great mix," said Wall. "Other individuals that have been here for the last few years, have grown as well. And there's a bit of flair in the younger players. Having them all at training and pushing each other, that's instrumental for our team."

And yet Dublin are still favourites. The 2023 champions have beaten Meath three times already this year, though it took a late surge to take the Leinster title.

"I don't think we did ourselves justice with our performance, as in our scoring accuracy and stuff like that," said Wall of the provincial decider. "I suppose everyone wants to right those wrongs, all the cliches, but I think there's a lot more to it than the Leinster final."