PLAYER FOCUS: ORLAGH LALLY
By Daire Walsh
When Orlagh Lally broke into the Meath senior squad as a teenager in 2018, the notion of playing just once in Croke Park was something she would have readily settled for.
While they narrowly lost out to Tipperary in the penultimate round of the previous year’s All-Ireland intermediate championship, you had to go back to 1994 for the last time the Royals had featured on ladies football finals day. On that occasion, Linda Fitzsimons helped herself to a hat-trick as Meath convincingly defeated Donegal in an All-Ireland junior football championship decider.
Fast forward to July 31, 2022 and Lally was playing a significant part in another outstanding success over the O’Donnell County. On this occasion, a 3-10 to 1-7 success propelled Meath towards a second successive All-Ireland senior ladies football title.
Remarkably, this was the fifth year on the bounce that Lally played in an All-Ireland showpiece at Croke Park – three at the intermediate grade followed by a brace of top-tier finals. When you throw numerous semi-final appearances, this year’s Leinster showpiece and two National Football League deciders into the mix, lining out at the Jones’ Road venue is now second nature to the Clann na nGael ace.
“The first time we came onto the panel, it was all of our dreams to get to Croke Park, but we thought it was so far out of our reach. Then I think someone told us that today is our 10th or 11th time playing here,” Lally remarked in the direct aftermath of their All-Ireland win over Donegal.
“Every day we walk out onto that pitch we’re so privileged, because it’s so easy to play 20 years of football and never get out onto Croke Park. To be able to go out there and step out onto that pitch 10 or 11 times is an absolute privilege.”
In the previous year’s final, Meath caused a major upset in toppling their five-in-a-row chasing Leinster rivals Dublin to claim the Brendan Martin Cup for the very first time. Any suggestion that this was a flash in the pan was well and truly dismissed by Lally and her on-field colleagues, but she insisted the Royals weren’t motivated by the desire to prove anyone wrong in 2022.
“To be honest, I don’t think we had to prove anything to anyone. Last year we proved ourselves that we were good enough and this year was a matter of us coming out and doing the same again.
“I suppose we didn’t really look at it as if we had to prove anything because we knew ourselves that we deserved it last year. We knew that if we put in the same effort again that we’d deserve it again this year.”
Despite finishing with a healthy cushion of nine points, Meath didn’t have it all their own way in July’s All-Ireland final. Seeking to make history by becoming the first county to win a 12th All-Ireland senior crown, Kerry stormed five points clear in the seventh-minute when the dynamic Louise Ní Mhuircheartaigh rattled the back of Monica McGuirk’s net.
As they have done in the past, however, the Royals responded superbly in the face of adversity and entered the half-time break with a 1-8 to 1-5 cushion at their disposal. Adding to Emma Troy’s opening period effort, Niamh O’Sullivan and Bridgetta Lynch raised further green flags on the resumption to ensure Meath remained on top of the ladies football ladder.
A fast start had significantly aided the Kingdom in earlier knockout wins at the expense of Armagh and Mayo, but Lally never had any doubt that her side would be able to cope with whatever was thrown at them.
“At the end of the day, it is a game and we’re in a very lucky position to be healthy enough and to be fit enough to be able to go out and play that game. At the end of the day, you just have to put all emotions and nerves aside. Just go out and enjoy as if it’s your last.
“It’s fairytale stuff, but a fairytale that has come true because of hard work and a massive support, and a fantastic team that we have behind us. As the saying goes, goals win games. We took our points and our goals came. We just kept plugging away and we got there in the end.”
On a day when Meath had several potential candidates for the award, it was Dunshaughlin Royal Gaels attacker Niamh O’Sullivan who was TG4’s choice as player of the match. Having kicked three points in the previous year’s final, she once again stood tall with an outstanding personal tally of 1-2 from left corner-forward.
It is fitting that O’Sullivan has been so prominent in Meath’s back-to-back successes, given she is – by some distance – the most experienced member of the panel. A debutant for the Royals back in 2008, she has experienced many ups and downs throughout her time in the green and gold jersey.
When she was first drafted into the senior set-up (on the back of impressive stints in the U16 and minor grades), Lally leaned heavily on O’Sullivan for advice and the primary school teacher proved herself more than willing to carry this extra burden of responsibility.
“I remember coming in as a 16 year old and Niamho took me in under her wing and taught me everything I needed to know. I’ll be forever grateful for that and she has done that to a lot of girls. Without Niamho we wouldn’t be able to be here where we are today.”
Since helping Meath to a successful defence of their All-Ireland senior crown, Lally has embarked on a new adventure on the far side of the world. Back in June, it was confirmed that she had been signed by Australian Rules outfit Fremantle Dockers ahead of the 2022 AFL Women’s campaign.
Her Royals team-mate Vikki Wall also agreed a deal to join North Melbourne and both players jetted off Down Under shortly after the completion of the ladies football inter-county season. Although she is on a rookie contract, Lally made her AFLW debut against Brisbane Lions in a round one encounter on August 28.
This move has taken her sporting life into a whole different direction, but the 21-year-old has every intention of returning to the Meath panel sooner rather than later.
“Meath has always been there for me and I’ve always been part of the set-up. The opportunity came at a good time for me with the way my college went. It’s something that drove me on in the background throughout the year, but certainly Meath was my number one focus,” Lally added.
“I think I proved that by giving everything I could this year and staying until the final. Meath will definitely still be there. Hopefully I’ll get to come back and play next year as well.”