3 days ago
Former Kilkenny star Walter Walsh eyeing up unlikely Croke Park return
Former Kilkenny hurling star Walter Walsh is eyeing up an unlikely return to Croke Park on All-Ireland football semi-final weekend.
Walsh, who has played for Leinster junior rugby team since retiring from Kilkenny hurling duty at the end of the 2024 season, has now thrown his lot in with Kilkenny footballers.
The 34 year old All Star will be part of the Cats' side which faces London on Friday week in the All-Ireland Junior Football semi-final.
Win that and their final is at Croke Park two days later as the curtain raiser to the Donegal/Meath All-Ireland semi-final.
'I got asked to go in before the rugby started and I wanted to give the rugby a chance,' says Walsh, who plays as a centre in rugby.
'I said, 'Look, after rugby.' I was talking to Christy Walsh. He's a Kerry man here in Kilkenny. He's been over the senior team for the last number of years. So I went in and I played a few matches - really enjoying it. Really enjoying the football.'
The Tullogher Rosbercon club man - a three-time All-Ireland winner - is also a forward in football and loves the new rules.
'I've been going up for the throw-in, so I've been drafted out midfield for that,' he continued. "In Kilkenny the (football) championship was run off in April, so I really enjoyed playing the new rules.
'I was trying to lean in to be one of the three up front, so I wouldn't have to be working back (down) the field.
'We got beaten in a quarter-final. James Stephens beat us by a point. The new rules are great. I suppose, for me, football is really enjoyable. There's maybe not as much pressure and so on.
'Even in club hurling, everything is so serious at the minute. Football, especially in Kilkenny, you go out and enjoy it. That's what I'm doing with Kilkenny football as well.
'There's a lot of very passionate people about Kilkenny football, so it's something I'm taking extremely seriously and I'm really looking forward to.'
Walsh was an accomplished footballer with Good Counsel College in New Ross in his younger days.
'We won Leinsters when we were back in school, so I always love football,' he continued. "There's been a big gap in my football career - as there was in my rugby career.
"I'm delighted to be back playing and it would be amazing really to play football in Croke Park. But look, we have a game to win ahead of that.'
