Walter Walsh shares thoughts on semi-final 'ghost point'

Extra.ie​

4 days ago

Walter Walsh watched his former side just about miss out on a place in the All-Ireland final two weeks ago when Kilkenny fell short against Tipperary in front of a packed Croke Park.
However, the match ended with a slight bit of controversy after Tipperary received a 'ghost point' on the scoreboard which was actually flagged as a wide by the referee.
The Kilkenny players believed they were three points down and needed a goal to force extra-time, while in fact they were two down instead and could have possibly gone for points from further distances. Walter Walsh believes there would have been no point in calling for a replay. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Despite mixed reactions from pundits and former players, Walter Walsh believes it is 'hard to say' whether the mistake defined the outcome of the game with multiple variables at play.
Walter told BusinessPlus: 'Look, it's disappointing as a Kilkenny supporter and it definitely affected the way Kilkenny were finishing the game. There's no other way to know the score other than to ask the ref, but it was so frantic, there's no way of asking. You look up at the scoreboard and you see the score and you know, do we need to get a point or a goal? It's as simple as that.
'I don't want to be making excuses as a Kilkenny supporter or anything, but it's just that I had been involved, I would have been—it would have been so hard to take as well because it's something that shouldn't have happened.' Walter is favouring the Rebels in the All-Ireland final. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
Walter also believes that there would have been no point in calling for a replay as some people did after the game and that it was 'better' just to end the game as they did.
He added: 'There was only two weeks to an All-Ireland final, I don't think there would have been time for a replay really, and I don't think anything would have changed, to be honest.' The three-time All-Ireland winner retired from hurling last year. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
Tipperary will have put the semi-final swiftly behind them as their focus quickly turned towards this Sunday's final showdown against Cork.
With wet and thundery conditions forecast, hurling fans could be in for an afternoon of unpredictable entertainment – but Walter believes one side just about has the edge over the other.
He said: 'I just think all year I've been kind of tipping Cork. I just think that they have so much firepower going forward, so much quality there, and then even off the bench as well, there's so much pace to come on. I just think they're the best team in the country, and I think that's why they'll win. They have so much talent, it comes down to that. They're so hungry and, like, there's so much hype with them as well. Walter's focus has now shifted to the business world. Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
'I think it will be a great final and people are saying that Cork are going to win. But like, Tipp are being kind of rolled off all year, and they're proving a lot of supporters wrong all year and could do it again on Sunday.'
The three-time All-Ireland winner retired from hurling last year and has already turned his attention towards the business world.
Walter established and developed SocialTies with Brendan Kavanagh and edtech Olive Group, the operator of Grinds360, the grinds website in which the former Kilkenny star was an early investor.
SocialTies builds localised digital platforms for communities such as GAA clubs and schools that act as a central hub for content, communications, fixtures, results and other information.
The idea behind the platform is that all club information is fed into one place, but clubs can also post exclusive content such as competitions, articles and podcasts and generate revenue through advertising.