{{Short description|Westmeath Gaelic footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox GAA player | name = Ronan Wallace | image = | alt = | caption = | <!-- Personal information --> | irish = | sport = Gaelic football | clposition = | icposition = | birth_date = 1995/1996<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/gaa/the-swansong-anyones-career-ronan-36992498|title='The swansong of anyone's career' – Ronan Wallace recalls the Westmeath team that made history in 2004: Ronan Wallace saw Westmeath win their only Leinster in 2004 – now he wants to sign off a brilliant career with a provincial medal of his own|first=Garry|last=Doyle|date=11 April 2026|quote=Now Wallace is 30, and that day follows him around like a shadow.}}</ref> | birth_place = | death_date = | death_place = | feet = | inches = | nickname = Wally<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2026/0517/1573843-mchugh-pinpoints-westmeaths-turning-point/|title=Mark McHugh pinpoints Westmeath's 'turning point'|work=RTÉ|date=17 May 2026|quote=But from day on we've envisaged Wally [captain Ronan Wallace] walking up the steps of Hogan Stand and by God, did he do it today, it was just brilliant.}}</ref><ref name=brilliantly>{{cite news|url=https://www.balls.ie/gaa/mark-mchugh-westmeath-leinster-final-interview-655191|title=Mark McHugh Delivered Brilliantly Inspirational Interview After Westmeath's Leinster Triumph|work=balls.ie|first=Sean|last=McGooey|date=17 May 2026}}</ref> | occupation = | <!-- Club(s) --> | clyears = | clubs = Multyfarnham | clapps(points) = | <!-- Club titles --> | code = Football | county = | clcounty = | province = | clprovince = | clallireland = | <!-- Colleges(s) --> | colyears = | colleges = | colapps(points) = | <!-- College titles --> | fitz = | sig = | <!-- Inter-county(ies) --> | icyears = | counties = Westmeath | icapps(points) = | <!-- Inter-county titles --> | icprovince = | icconnacht = | iculster = | icleinster = 1 | icmunster = | icallireland = | nfl = | nhl = | allstars = | <!-- Last updated --> | clupdate = | icupdate = }} '''Ronan Wallace''' (born 1995/1996) is a Gaelic footballer who plays for the Multyfarnham club and at senior level for the Westmeath county team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.anglocelt.ie/2022/06/19/westmeath-turn-on-the-style-to-reach-first-tailteann-cup-final/|title=Westmeath turn on the style to reach first Tailteann Cup final|work=The Anglo-Celt|first=Paul|last=Hughes|date=19 June 2022|quote=However, they underlined their early dominance when in the 15th minute, David Lynch set the onrushing Ronan Wallace through on goal, and the Multyfarnham man rattled the Offaly net from close range.}}</ref>
==Playing career== He was a member of the team that defeated Dublin at Parnell Park in the 2019 O'Byrne Cup final, his county's first time to win that trophy since 1988.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/westmeath-dublin-obyrne-cup-final-4447898-Jan2019/|title=Ger Egan hits 1–5 as Westmeath defeat Dublin for first O'Byrne Cup title since 1988|publisher=The42.ie|first=Kevin|last=O'Brien|date=18 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2019/0118/1024176-egan-lead-westmeath-to-obyrne-cup-win-over-dublin/|title=Egan leads Westmeath to O'Byrne Cup win over Dublin|publisher=RTÉ|first=Paul|last=Keane|date=18 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/294373|title=O'Byrne Cup final: Egan steers Westmeath past Dubs|work=Hogan Stand|date=18 January 2019}}</ref> He won his second piece of silverware of 2019 when Westmeath won the 2019 National Football League Division 3 league title by a goal against Laois at Croke Park, Wallace scored 0–1.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-30915948.html|title=Westmeath claim more silverware with Division 3 success|work=Irish Examiner|first=Paul|last=Keane|date=6 April 2019}}</ref>
He scored the first goal against Offaly in the 2022 Tailteann Cup semi-final, which Westmeath won to qualify for the competition's inaugural final.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/Article/Index/323921|title=All the goals as Westmeath beat neighbours with impressive first-half display|work=Hogan Stand|date=19 June 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/0619/1305731-free-scoring-westmeath-book-tailteann-decider-spot/|title=Free scoring Westmeath see off Offaly to book Tailteann decider spot|publisher=RTÉ|first=Kevin|last=Corrigan|date=19 June 2022}}</ref> Then he got the insurance score in that one to down Cavan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40914503.html|title=Breaking new ground: Westmeath claim first Tailteann Cup|work=Irish Examiner|first=Paul|last=Keane|date=10 July 2022}}</ref>
Wallace was appointed Westmeath captain in 2025 following the retirement of Kevin Maguire.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://hoganstand.com/article/index/335386|title=Wallace and Greville named Westmeath captains|work=hoganstand.com|date=7 March 2025}}</ref>
Wallace captained and inspired Westmeath to the 2026 O'Byrne Cup.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2026/0116/1553558-wizard-wallace-inspires-westmeath-to-unlikely-title/|title=Wizard Ronan Wallace inspires Westmeath to unlikely O'Byrne Cup success|work=RTÉ|first=Paul|last=Keane|date=16 January 2026}}</ref> Then he captained Westmeath to only a second ever Leinster Senior Football Championship title in 2026.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2026/05/17/relentless-westmeath-send-dublin-crashing-to-defeat-in-extra-time-to-win-second-leinster-title/|title=Relentless Westmeath send Dublin crashing to defeat in extra-time to win second Leinster title|work=The Irish Times|first=Seán|last=Moran|date=17 May 2026}}</ref> His walk up the steps of the Hogan Stand to lift the Delaney Cup was instantly declared an iconic moment in the sports history of Westmeath.<ref name=brilliantly/>
==Honours== ;Westmeath * Tailteann Cup (1): 2022 * Leinster Senior Football Championship (1): 2026 * National Football League Division 3 (1): 2019 * O'Byrne Cup (2): 2019, 2026
;Individual * Tailteann Cup Team of the Year (1): 2022
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box | title = Westmeath Senior Football Captain | before = Kevin Maguire | after = Incumbent | years = 2025– }} {{s-end}}
{{Westmeath Football Team 2022}} {{2022 Tailteann Cup Team of the Year}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallace, Ronan}} Category:1990s births Category:Living people Category:Multyfarnham Gaelic footballers Category:Westmeath inter-county Gaelic footballers