There's a strong argument to be made that Vikki Wall has been the most consistent footballer, male or female over the past two years.
The Dunboyne forward entered this year as the intermediate footballer of the year in 2020, and finished 2021 with the senior award, not to mention an All-Ireland medal as Meath tore up the script to land a first ever Brendan Martin Cup.
The swashbuckling Royals sunk Cork in the semi-final with a late surge that took the game to extra-time, and in the decider, played with the same attacking verve to deny Dublin four in a row.
At the heart of that was key forward wall. The 23-year-old plundered 1-03 during the championship campaign and produced a player of the match performance in the decider.
The throw-in for the final demonstrated her all-action style, going to midfield for the throw-in, winning possession and running right down the heart of the Dublin defence before drawing the foul. Her ability to attract defenders and create space for others laid the foundation for Meath’s unlikely success, and was one of eight players to secure an All-Star for her all-round displays.
She fought off stiff competition from team-mates Emma Troy and club-mate Emma Duggan to scoop the player of the year award, and its little surprise that a move to Australia to the AFLW has been touted.
Having started a Masters in DCU in September, Wall says she is committed to remaining in Ireland in 2022, but didn’t rule out a move Down Under to join the growing legion of Irish players trying their hand at the oval game down the line.
"I’ve had a few conversations over the last year or so, but it’s still up in the air," she said.
For the immediate future, defenders around the country know they will have their hands full next season when Wall looks to pick up where she left off in the green jersey.
Joanne Cantwell and Darragh Maloney will present the RTÉ Sport Awards 2021 on Saturday 18 December on RTÉ One.
The Sportsperson of the Year is selected by a judging panel. The criteria can be read here.
