"Number 30 On The Day": Grace Walsh's Minor Debut Was A Major Moment In Her Storied Camogie Career

This Sunday, one of the GAA's great rivalries will be rekindled as Kilkenny face Cork in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland camogie minor A final at Nowlan Park.

The Rebels have won two of the last three deciders but, for the hosts, it has been four years since they triumphed in this competition.

Kilkenny do, however, have more titles than any other county at this level. One of the stars of their 2009 triumph over Clare, Grace Walsh, explained this week what makes an All-Ireland final such a special occasion for a young player.

Speaking ahead of this Sunday's final, Walsh remembered coming off the bench in the 2009 decider, saying that the importance of a strong panel is evident at minor level.

It was nice to be on the pitch at the final whistle. But I was number 30 on the day. We always talk about team sports - it’s not just about the starting 15, it’s about the whole team.

That day…I didn’t start, I was number 30, the last sub on the team. I came on at half-time and got to help the team in some way, shape or form.

It just shows how important you are to just be on the panel, everyone from number 1 to number 30, no matter how many are on the panel.

Everyone is just as important as everybody else. Everybody has to have the same focus and have the same goal - to win as a team, at the end of the day.

Kilkenny will have a serious task on their hands if they are to add an eighth All-Ireland minor camogie title this Sunday.

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Speaking exclusively to Balls.ie, Grace Walsh said that she was buzzing to cheer on her clubmates from Tullaroan in Sunday's Electric Ireland All-Ireland camogie minor finals.

As a kid, Walsh was forced to play alongside the boys on underage hurling teams, with the club lacking any underage camogie teams at that time.

Now, the underage camogie scene at the club is thriving, and Walsh is grateful that the stars of tomorrow have been given their chance.

We’re a small club, we didn’t always have the numbers and we’d have to play with the boys because we didn’t have the numbers for the camogie.

There’s been an unbelievable crew of people from Tullaroan who have put in a load of work to the underage setup. We’re now looking to the young girls, they’re playing on the senior team and we’re looking to them to inspire us and to help us get the wins and stuff.

It’s brilliant and it’s lovely to see the girls playing on Sunday.

I’m lucky, I’ve four girls in my club in Tullaroan that are on the panel for Sunday. I’m looking forward to going to the game and cheering them on.

Walsh will remember that same support from her All-Ireland winning campaign of 2009 with the Cats, who also reached the decider in 2011 and were defeated by Tipperary.

The three-time senior All-Ireland winner said that the nerves and shackles that come later in a player's career are not as limiting for minor players.

"When we were playing, you weren’t really as nervous because you were just so obsessed with getting to play and being on the pitch," Walsh explains, "That’s all you were focused on.

"You’re just trying to eat well, not think too much about it before the game, you’re just sort of focused on getting the ball into your hand and getting it up the pitch.

"When you’re older, you have a little bit more to think about. I think when you’re younger, you just focus on getting the ball in your hand really."

Kilkenny come into Sunday's final knowing where they stand against Cork. The two sides met just last month, with a tight contest ultimately just tipping the way of the Rebels by three points.

This, however, is an entirely new game.

"They’re in an All-Ireland final," Walsh says, "I don’t think it really matters what has gone on before that!

"They’re exactly where they want to be and anything can happen on the day of an All-Ireland final, it doesn’t matter how much you’ve won or lost by in previous games. Once your focus is right and you play as a team and work hard for each other, I think you can definitely get the win."

Walsh stepped away from the Kilkenny senior panel at the end of last season. A stalwart of over a decade and one of the side's most pivotal players, she will no doubt be sorely missed this year.

However, she said that watching on from afar has made her realise that retirement was the right choice for her.

It’s been different. Somebody said to me that I’m busier now than I was before I retired!

Look, I just miss the girls so much, I miss the players and anyone involved with the Kilkenny setup.

But I think it was just my time to finish up. I’ve had the most unbelievable memories from my time with Kilkenny.

Things are different now…I’m still as busy as ever and I’ve taken up a few other sports just to keep myself busy. It’s been a nice change.

It’s just been really nice to be able to go out there and support them. I went to the first senior game against Galway and was really impressed.

I didn’t feel like I wanted to be out on the pitch, I was just happy to be there shouting them on.

I suppose, with any women’s sports teams, they need as much support as they can get so it’s nice to be able to get to the games and be an extra supporter in the crowd.

Walsh will be in Nowlan Park on Sunday to cheer on the county and her Tullaroan clubmates, and hopes her fellow Kilkenny fans will help the team bring a first minor camogie title in four years back to the county.

Score prediction? "Kilkenny 1-17, Cork 2-10," says Walsh.

Her fellow Cats will certainly hope she is right.

Kilkenny face Cork in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland camogie minor final on Sunday in Nowlan Park. Throw-in is at 4:30pm, with tickets available here.