ICYMI: Former Kilkenny forward Walter Walsh fears overly defensive hurling in the future

From playing in front of 80,000 spectators in the black and amber of Kilkenny to wearing the stripes of Tullogher Rosbercon in front of 800 supporters, Walter Walsh has played at just about every level of hurling over his illustrious career.

Accustomed to both the smooth-carpet surface of Croke Park or the greasy mud surface of a club ground, his career has provided an eclectic mix of experiences whose humble manner and commitment to putting the team’s needs over his own endearing him to team-mates and supporters alike.

And that selfless approach has proved to be a winning formula, with the former All-Star telling the Kilkenny People he ‘didn’t want much fuss’ over his retirement.

Over a glittering career, the potent forward won three All-Ireland titles, eight Leinster crowns and four National League titles. Not a bad collection for a young farmer who dreamed of holding the MacCarthy Cup.

But earlier this year, Walsh decided the 2024 season would be his last, believing the ‘time was right’ to hang up his boots after 13 years at senior inter-county level.

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Walsh joined the senior panel in 2012 at 21 years of age, making a man of the match debut in the All-Ireland final replay win against Galway, the first hurling final to be forced to a replay since 1959.

Stars such as Henry Shefflin, Eoin Larkin and Tommy Walsh were amongst the mainstays of the panel at the time, guiding a young Walter Walsh in his formative years.

“My ambition at the start of that year was to win an under-21 All-Ireland with Kilkenny and unfortunately we got pipped by Clare,” he said.

“It remained like that for much of the year, even when I got called in for the quarter-final against Limerick my thoughts were I’m not going to be playing with the seniors, I want to win with the under-21s.”

But start he did, and what an impact he had scoring 1-3 on one of the biggest days of his life. An achievement that grabbed all the headlines but the attention failed to get inside the youngster’s head.

“Brian Cody is a good man to keep you grounded and I had great people around me. I don’t believe I got big-headed or getting carried away with myself. Like if you think about it, I had one All-Ireland, so you don’t get big headed in a dressing room full of All-Ireland medals anyway and Brian (Cody) wouldn’t allow that either so look I enjoyed it, I celebrated it well, I was in college at the time but my feet were firmly on the ground coming back for pre-season in 2013,” Walsh recalled.

Fast-forward to 2024 and the now elder-statesman has called time on his own career, but why now?

“I just think the time is right,” he said.

"There’s not many lads playing inter-county at 33 years of age.

“If I could just drift away into the wilderness and say nothing (about retiring) I probably would have. I didn’t want much fuss,” Walsh continued.

“I’ve been humbled by the amount of messages and well wishes I’ve got, I couldn’t have imagined the impact I’ve had on people over my career with Kilkenny.”

A young Walsh first came to prominence in 2008 in what would be a year to remember. At just 17, he won a very first All-Ireland minor title with Kilkenny before bagging a junior county championship medal later that year. A memory he still holds dear with his club at the heart of his hurling story.

“To be able to represent Tullogher Rosbercon by playing with Kilkenny was a great honour for me. I was the first person ever to win an All-Ireland from Tullogher Rosbercon and that’s something I’m really, really proud of. I’m finished with Kilkenny but I’m going to play with Tullogher for as long as I can and the body allows me to. I feel I need to give back to Tullogher, that’s where I started and that’s where I’m going to finish but hopefully that won’t be for another couple of years yet.”

In latter years, the former Good Counsel student’s starting appearances became more sporadic in a county shirt, with his final call to action coming last July, as Kilkenny were lowered by The Banner in Croke Park.

However, despite going from starter to ‘super sub’, Walsh has hailed a positive mindset as key to his longevity.
“I wanted to start, I wanted to play the full games, sure every player is the same but you kind of take what you can get,” he remarked.

“It’s funny how your mind changes with the situation, you want to be starting but then you get a setback and you’re just delighted to be part of it and training.”

“I find the mind changes very quickly with the situation,” he continued.

As for the future, is the game of hurling in a good place?

“Hurling will continue to adapt and change,” he commented.

“I wouldn’t like it getting too defensive, players dropping too deep. I like the one on one battles we see in hurling. I think that’s really important for the game and I hope that continues long into the future.”

Listen his interview with the Kilkenny People Sport Podcast below: