“We’ve been through a lot together” – Mary I captain O’Brien pays emotional tribute to Wall in captain’s speech

Niall McIntyre

‘Every one of us would die for him,’ said Mary I goalkeeper Jason Gillane about his manager Jamie Wall.

“He’s an inspiration to all of us, the way he gets on with himself,” continued the Patrickswell man.

Having been a selector under Eamon Cregan when Mary Immaculate won their first ever Fitzgibbon Cup title in 2016, Jamie Wall managed his alma mater to college’s glory for the second time in his life on Saturday.

The former Cork underage dual player took over from Cregan as Mary I manager in 2017, retaining the title in his first year in charge.

And after a five year gap, a Diarmuid Ryan-inspired Mary I defeated their cross-city rivals UL to taste Fitzgibbon Cup glory once more, on a final score-line of 2-14 to 1-15 after a ding-dong-battle in Abbeydorney.

Tipperary duo Cathal Quinn and Joe Caeser were also very impressive for the victors, while Shane O’Brien and Adam Hogan both augmented their reputations as some of the finest young talents in hurling.

Caeser, the eventual man-of-the-match, held Adam English to just one point from play while Hogan helped curb the influence of fellow Clare-man Mark Rodgers, who was held scoreless.

Mary I captain Colin O’Brien scored a crucial late point from a free to seal the victory and after the game, the Cork man paid an emotional tribute to his manager Wall in his captain’s speech, a man he describes as ‘like a big brother.’

“We’ve been through a lot together, and it’s just unreal to stand up there and have that trophy for him,” said O’Brien.

Mary I captain Colin O’Brien was emotional talking about Jamie Wall after winning the Fitzgibbon Cup.

"We've been through a lot together, and it's just unreal to stand up there and have that trophy for him.” pic.twitter.com/S2gG0TrraK

— Niall McIntyre (@NiallMcintyre) February 17, 2024

“It’s a great privilege as a fella from a small club in North Cork to be standing up here, collecting a trophy like this.” continued O’Brien.

“This competition means an awful lot, especially to lads who mightn’t be involved in county set-ups.”

“One last public service announcement,” he rounded off his speech by saying, “Anybody in front of Paddy Kelly (Charlie Malone’s pub, Limerick) on the way home, move out of the way, we’re going straight to the pub.”

After the game, Wall hailed his team as ‘brilliant fellas and brilliant role models.’

‘He’s like a big brother to me..’

See Podge Collins and winning Mary I captain Colin O’Brien pay an emotional tribute to Jamie Wall after today’s Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup Final win.@MICLimerick @GaaClare @OfficialCorkGAA pic.twitter.com/r0s4x1GKPY

— GAA Higher Education (@HigherEdGAA) February 17, 2024

“It’s not about the hurling really. Those guys, maybe myself in years to come…, our thing is about those young fellas, them growing up, help them get through college, get their degrees, become part of our world.

“To see them go on now and become the teachers of the world, it’s such an encouraging thing. They are brilliant fellas and will be brilliant role models. The future is bright.”

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