Tipperary clash has brought the buzz back to Kilkenny says former star
The counties are meeting in the Championship for the first time in six years and while much of the attention has been focused on the high octane Munster Championship this summer while Kilkenny quietly picked up a sixth Leinster title on the spin, Walsh notes a shift ahead of Sunday's encounter.
The 34-year-old, who retired from Kilkenny duty after last year's Championship, says the build-up is noticeably different this week, particularly with the All-Ireland race feeling much more open after Limerick's shock elimination by Dublin.
'There's definitely more of a buzz about it and about hurling around Kilkenny,' he said. 'I suppose the way that it's Tipp as well.
'Most people expected Limerick, but now, the opportunity came with a game against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final. We haven't played Tipperary since 2019.
'I think as a whole from the last four teams left, Tipperary were the last team out of the four teams to win in All-Ireland. I suppose there's a lot of hope with the other four teams and there's are going to be a relatively new All-Ireland winner as well.
'There's more hype with it and excitement within the four counties.'
For the most part, Walsh hasn't been pining for days gone by following his retirement, but he has had some pangs of late.
'I didn't miss it up until maybe the Leinster final, just being at it and seeing the lads getting the Bob O'Keefe Cup, all of them going into the dressing room after that.
'That's something I missed. I suppose up until that point, honestly I haven't missed it at all. I thought I would have missed it a lot more. I suppose the training and the craic with the boys as well, being around training and that whole competitive aspect to being an inter-county hurler and playing with Kilkenny. It was only with the Leinster final I started to miss it.
'There's a good buzz around Kilkenny as well with this game against Tipperary. I'm starting to miss it. I'd love to be getting ready for an All-Ireland semi-final on Sunday.'
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