Big brother is watching, and shouting, and re-hydrating.
There isn’t many GAA sides in Ireland that could afford to have a nine-time All-Ireland winner as their water carrier, and his younger brother – also a Celtic Cross holder – helping out too.
But Tullaroan are different, as most Kilkenny club sides tend to be.
Hailing from beside the Tipperary border, the Leinster intermediate camogie champions are getting ready for this Sunday’s All-Ireland club semi-final against Cahir of Tipperary.
Grace Walsh, sister of ex-Kilkenny hurler Tommy and current team member Padraig, is the latest member of the famous clan to try and reach Croke Park for an All-Ireland decider.
Grace’s first cousin Miriam is also involved, while Tommy’s interest also extends to Marlis Walsh, the corner back, who happens to be his wife. The retired Kilkenny hurler is one of many hoping the club are successful this weekend.
“Padraig and Tommy did waterboy for the Leinster final, and when they’re on the sideline it’s good because you appreciate it that bit more.
“The club is everything to them and they’d love to see us get to an All-Ireland final and get any win for them and for the club.
“(Tommy) got every excited when we won the county final, he said to his wife, Marlis, ‘Jesus Marlis, if ye to get to an All-Ireland final I’m definitely doing waterboy, because I’ll never get to play in Croke Park again’.”
Tullaroan’s adult camogie club is in existence less than a decade and had to battle through the savagely intense Kilkenny championship to get to this point.
They beat Carlow champions – and former junior all-Ireland winners – Myshall by just a single point in the Leinster final..
Tullaroan’s last game was 8th November against Myshall, which means it will be over two months since their last outing as a competitive force. The UCD student says it’s hard to be patient when you have waited for so long.
“We’ve had a long break since. We’ve all been thinking, ‘Jesus, this semi-final is never going to come’, so we’re just really looking forward to Sunday now.”
Cahir come into Sunday’s game having lost an All-Ireland ladies football club final just before Christmas. Grace plays camogie with two of her rivals for UCD, so she knows a little bit about their forthcoming opponents.
“I actually play with two of the girls up here in college, Sinead Kennedy and Lorna McEneiry, and it will be different as I’m usually passing the ball to them, but you have no friends on the pitch.”
“Miriam Walsh, my cousin. I think the trainer knows better than to put us on each other as well because we nearly rip shreds out of each other. One day we had a session and we were marking each other and after 10 minutes we’d to be changed because there was a row brewing.”
A Kilkenny-Tipperary clash is always worth the entrance fee and Walsh is hopeful that Tommy and Padraig (pictured above after the 2014 All-Ireland final win) and the entire club, will get a chance once more to make it back to Croker, to support their sister, and Tommy’s wife, in an All-Ireland final in March.
“The club is everything, playing with friends and family, they are who you want to win a club All-Ireland with. It might be our only chance and to get there would be incredible.”
