Kilbrittain's Philip Wall: Croker factor, twin experiences and the gravity of an All-Ireland win

AIB ambassadors Finnian Cawley (Easkey) and Philip Wall (Kilbrittain). Pic: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

"Last year, New Year's Day 2025, I was in Dingle," Kilbrittain captain Philip Wall tells us early on in our chat this week. 

For many, like Wall, Dingle is the ideal corner of the world to ring in the New Year. In 2026, however, West Kerry played very much second-fiddle to West Cork.

The first day of 2026 became a training day in preparation for their this Saturday's All-Ireland Club JHC final meeting with Easkey of Sligo at Croke Park. 

The festive period has also seen him balance his time as a Kilbrittain hurler with being a Kate Wall supporter. His twin sister - a vital cog of the St Finbarr's forward line - agonisingly missed out on All-Ireland glory after a replay against Galway's Athenry last weekend. 

Older brother Jamie - a two-time Fitzgibbon Cup winner as Mary I coach - got another campaign underway in winning fashion on Wednesday.

On Saturday, however, it's Philip's turn. 

Having navigated the "cut-throat" Cork Premier JHC championship and annexing a Munster title, their dismissal of Leinster champions Davidstown-Courtnacuddy in the All-Ireland semi-final has led them to Croke Park - GAA HQ, or as Wall notes, "the big house".

While there won't be over 80,000 in attendance, it's a mammoth venue that can swallow up a player in an instance. 

So how does one strike a balance between appreciating the occasion and keeping the head screwed on? 

"(It'd be wrong) to not recognise the fact that you're going and playing in Croke Park - we played our last game in Clonmel on December 20, in the muck and rain - to not appreciate the fact that you're going out to HQ, going into the big house, it's class," said Wall. "At the same time, I don't want to be out there in the 45th minute looking up at the Hogan thinking, 'that's class'. 

"There's plenty of time for that. My cousin told me, the tour of Croke Park is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, if you want to do that, you can go to that, but we have a job to do on Saturday.

Kilbrittain captain Philip Wall and Aaron Holland celebrate. Pic: Dan Linehan

"It's going to be enjoyable, but our job is to go and beat Easkey, if it was being played in the back garden, that's where we want to beat them, it doesn't matter, they're the exact same, they've been there before, they know the ropes."

As previously mentioned, Wall's twin sister Kate has been part of big occasions in the last couple of weeks. The drawn camogie final was played at HQ prior to the replay at Semple Stadium.

As they have done throughout their sporting lives, the twins have leant on each other for advice, be that big or small. That has been no different this week. 

"We're used to sharing things as twins, so we've been sharing experiences lately," Wall said. "We've been week on week, it's either been my game, or Kate's game, or on the same day as it happened with our Munster final, and their All-Ireland semi, so it's great. 

"(In terms of) practical advice, even something really small as, 'what boots did you wear?' 

"I actually have the same pair of boots as Kate, so I'm going to wear them, do you know what I mean? It's just something really small like that, that you can rely on."

Wall continued: "Not to mention anything else, in terms of away from sport, because obviously it's hectic, the constant nature of the rigmarole of games, but it's great to have that support system. I can always lean on any of my siblings for advice."

A win on Saturday would bring a first All-Ireland crown back to Kilbrittain. It's not lost on Wall and Co. what it would do for a village that has endured devastating loss of late. 

Their motivation to do this for themselves and for their parish in clear. 

"We certainly don't underestimate the kind of power that that would have. The parish has been through a tough time, the last maybe 18 months, with Anne Enright, and obviously our boy Oisín (Gillain)... the loss of them to the community pales in comparison to the loss to their families, and nothing is ever going to change that. 

"But to bring a semblance of joy, and to bring life back into a parish that has been, unfortunately, bereft of some for a while, it's not lost on us.

"It's something that we're extremely motivated to do, for ourselves, and for our community," concluded Wall.

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