SPORT CAN be a glorious sign of mental strength at the most adverse of times. People who are dead and buried mentally and physically can find the inner strength to reach the top again. One individual who had that in abundance and more this weekend was corner-back for Mooncoin's Marianne Walsh.
Walsh was diagnosed with stage three Hodgkin’s Lymphoma just a year ago, but just this weekend lined out for Mooncoin at corner-back in the Kilkenny junior championships.
The camogie side defeated Piltown 3-7 to 0-8 on Saturday afternoon in Callan.
"A year ago this week Marianne was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma 12 months later and 5 months after finishing chemotherapy she’s winning county a County title with her beloved Mooncoin," Kilkenny Camogie wrote on Instagram.
"The lesson to be learned no matter what life throws at you think of this story. A real life hero, A warrior and an all time fantastic human. Camogie saved my life (her words). An inspiration to show people what can be achieved when you put your mind to things and that Cancer won’t beat determination"
"The parish has been an absolute backbone to me the last six months," Marianne told KCLR's Scoreline.
"I would not be where I am today only for that panel of 30 young ones. They have just been absolutely amazing and the four managers and my family and friends. You know, when you’re told that you have cancer, you kind of just nearly submit to this dark hole, where I didn’t, I kept coming up.
"Camogie saved me and it was worth all the pain and the sickness and everything all throughout the year. This moment is what I’m going to remember from this year, not being sick.
"This is the moment, the thirteenth of November up in Callan."
Marianne Walsh won a Kilkenny junior county final yesterday.
She was diagnosed with Stage 3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma a year ago but 12 months on and 5 months after finishing chemo, she's winning county titles for her club @MooncoinCC.
That's some character 👏@BillyCulleton87 📸 pic.twitter.com/5rbYfN9tYP— GAA JOE (@GAA__JOE) November 15, 2021
