Denis Walsh
Encyclopedia
Denis Walsh is an Irish
hurling
manager
and former dual player
of Gaelic games
. He is a former manager of the Cork senior hurling team.
An effective dual player, Walsh enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with St. Catherine's and Kildorrery
and at inter-county level with Cork. He was a key member of both the Cork football and hurling teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s, winning All-Ireland, Munster and National League titles in both codes.
After some relatively unsuccessful spells as manager of various club sides, Walsh took charge of the Waterford
senior football team in 2001. He left after two unsuccessful seasons. Walsh emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant managerial position with the Cork senior hurling team and was duly appointed in March 2009.
in 1965. He was educated at the local national school where he first played hurling and football. Walsh later attended boarding school in Carrignavar where his sporting talents were further developed. Walsh currently works as a self-employed financial adviser.
and his club football with Kildorrery
and enjoyed much success as a dual star. He first tasted victory with St. Catherine's in 1983 when the club captured the Imokilly divisional title. St. Catherine's later represented the division in the county championship and defeated Aghabullogue
, giving Walsh a county junior championship
winners' medal.
In 1984 Walsh was a key member of the Imolkilly
divisional football team that competed in the senior county championship. The mighty St. Finbarr's
provided the opposition, however, Imokilly proved too strong and won the game by 1-14 to 2-7. Not only was it Imokilly's first major triumph at senior level but the victory also gave Walsh a coveted county senior championship title.
Two years later in 1986 Imokilly faced St. Finbarr's again in the county final. After a tense game Imokilly defeated 'the Barr's' by a solitary point, giving Walsh a second county winners' medal in three years.
After a drought of success 1994 proved to be a bumper year for Walsh at club level. He won a North Cork junior 'A' football title with Kildorrery, before lining out with St. Catherine's in the intermediate hurling county final. Cloughduv
provided the opposition, however, Walsh ended up on the winning side with a 3-12 to 2-11 score line.
In the twilight of his club career Walsh tasted success one final time in 2004. St. Catherine's reached the final of the premier intermediate championship. Courcey Rovers
provided the opposition, however, St. Catherine's won the day with a 1-11 to 1-8 score line. It was Walsh's second winners' medal in that grade and a fitting way to bow out of club hurling.
medal at minor level in 1983 following a 1-11 to 1-15 defeat of Tipperary
. Walsh, however, didn’t play in the subsequent All-Ireland final, a game which saw Derry
emerge victorious by just two points.
Walsh later joined the Cork under-21 team where he enjoyed much more success. 1985 saw him add a Munster
medal to his collection in this grade following an eleven-point trouncing of Clare
in the provincial final. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Walsh play at corner-back against Derry. ‘The Rebels’ avenged their defeat at minor level two years previously by beating Derry by 0-14 to 1-18. It was Walsh’s first All-Ireland
winners' medal in the under-21 grade.
In 1986 the Cork under-21 footballers continued their provincial dominance. A narrow 0-8 to 0-7 win over Tipperary gave Walsh his second Munster winners' medal at under-21 level. He later played in a second successive All-Ireland final with Offaly
providing the opposition. The game was a one-sided affair as the Cork team were the easy winners on a score line of 3-16 to 0-12. It was Walsh’s second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 medal and his last outing in that grade.
winners' medal in this grade. Following an unconvincing display by Cork against Antrim
he later lined out in the All-Ireland final against Galway. The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against an ageing Cork team, however, on the day a different story unfolded. Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton
, two from Tomás Mulcahy
and one from Kevin Hennessy
, stymied the Galway attack and helped ‘the Rebels’ to a 4-13 to 2-15 victory. It was Walsh's first All-Ireland
winners’ medal at senior level.
In 1987 Walsh was a firm fixture on both the Cork senior hurling and football teams. The hurlers surrendered their provincial and All-Ireland crowns to Tipperary; however, the footballers were just beginning a remarkable run of success. After a draw and a replay ‘the Rebel’s broke Kerry
’s stranglehold on provincial football with a 0-13 to 1-5 victory. It was Walsh’s first senior Munster
football title. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play Meath
for the first time in twenty years. Cork stormed into an early lead, however, it was Meath who led by a point at half-time. The second half saw Larry Tompkins
kick six of his eight frees wide, resulting in a bitter 1-14 to 0-11 defeat for Cork.
1988 saw Walsh collect a second Munster football title with a narrow 1-14 to 0-16 win over arch-rivals Kerry. Cork later qualified for their second consecutive All-Ireland final with Meath providing the opposition once again. Cork stormed ahead after just three minutes when Teddy McCarthy
scored the only goal of five consecutive All-Ireland final appearances for Cork. Meath fought back and secured a 0-12 to 1-9 draw. Walsh, who was substituted in the drawn game was not a member of the starting fifteen for the replay. That game proved to be a tough, controversial affair with Meath reduced to fourteen men with the sending off of Gerry McEntee
. In spite of being outnumbered Meath still won the game by 0-13 to 0-12.
1989 began well with Walsh adding a third consecutive Munster medal to his collection following another win over Kerry. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Walsh dropped from the team again as Mayo
played Cork in a unique pairing. Cork were on top for much of the game, however, a goal by substitute Anthony Finnerty gave Mayo a brief lead. Cork held on to win the game by 0-17 to 1-11.
1990 proved to be a memorable year for Walsh and for Cork. A key member of the senior hurling team, he won a third Munster winners' medal following a great victory over Tipperary, the reigning All-Ireland champions. Not long after this Walsh was playing in the Munster football final. For the fourth year in-a-row Cork were the masters of the province as they trounced Kerry by 2-23 to 1-11. The subsequent All-Ireland hurling final that year pitted Cork against Galway for the second time in four years. Galway were once again the bookies favourites and justified this tag by going seven points ahead at the interval. Cork fought back with an expert display by Tomás Mulcahy and went on to win a high-scoring and open game of hurling by 5-15 to 2-12. It was Walsh’s second All-Ireland hurling medal. Two weeks after this victory Walsh was back in Croke Park
as a member of the Cork football panel that were playing in the All-Ireland final. Old rivals Meath were the opponents on this occasion as the two sides met for the third time in four years. Walsh, however, played no part in the game as the fourteen men of Cork won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. Disappointingly, Walsh was not eligible for an All-Ireland medal, even as a substitute. He left the Cork inter-county football team following this.
In 1991 Cork surrendered their provincial hurling crown to Tipperary, however, the following year saw Walsh taste more success. The provincial final saw 'the Rebels' defeat Limerick
by 1-22 to 3-11, giving Walsh a fourth provincial winners' medal, his fifth in all. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Kilkenny
provided the opposition. ‘The Cats’ played against a strong wind in the first half and were only two points down at the interval thanks to a goal by D.J. Carey. Further goals by John Power
and Michael Phelan
gave Kilkenny a 3-10 to 1-12 victory.
In 1993 Walsh added to his already impressive medal tally as he collected a National Hurling League
title following a three-game saga with Wexford
. Success in the championship eluded him. That same year Walsh was also a key member of the Cork junior football panel. He picked up a Munster
title in this grade before later lining out in the All-Ireland championship decider. Mayo provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Cork had a relatively comfortable 0-15 to 0-7 victory over their rivals. This was Walsh’s last major outing on the inter-county scene. He retired from inter-county hurling in 1996.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured his sole Railway Cup medal in 1992 as Munster defeated Ulster
by 3-12 to 1-8.
in Waterford. Walsh also worked as manager of the Cork club Carrigtwohill
in hurling. All of these ventures were largely unsuccessful in terms of capturing county championship titles.
senior football team. It was a tough assignment as Waterford were regarded as one of the minnows of Gaelic football. His first game in charge was a Munster quarter-final against Clare
, game which Waterford could be contenders for victory in spite of their low profile. A 3-10 to 2-9 defeat sent Waterford into the 'qualifiers'. Waterford also lost their next game and were dumped out of the championship. Walsh was manager for a second season in 2002. That year Waterford exited the provincial championship at the first hurdle again, following a defeat by Tipperary. The resultant qualifier game was not kind as Waterford were pitted against reigning All-Ireland champions Armagh
. That game turned into an absolute rout as Armagh won easily by 2-21 to 0-8. This defeat brought Walsh's reign as Waterford manager to an end.
Walsh's first championship game in charge saw Cork take on Tipperary in Semple Stadium
. While many expected Tipp to trounce Cork, Walsh's side fought admirably before eventually losing by 1-19 to 0-19. After a convincing win over Offaly
in the opening round of the qualifiers, Walsh's next assignment with Cork was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with an in-form Galway
. After an opening half which saw both sides trade tit-for-tat scores, Galway pulled away in the final ten minutes to record a 1-19 to 0-15 victory, their fifth-ever over Cork.
In August 2011 the Cork County Committee confirmed that they would not be extending the tenure of Walsh after two and a half years.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former dual player
Dual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
of Gaelic games
Gaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
. He is a former manager of the Cork senior hurling team.
An effective dual player, Walsh enjoyed a successful playing career at club level with St. Catherine's and Kildorrery
Kildorrery GAA
Kildorrery GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association based in the parish of Kildorrery, Cork, Ireland. The club fields teams in competitions organized by the Cork GAA county board and the Avondhu GAA divisional board. The club fields teams in both hurling and Gaelic football.-History:The club was...
and at inter-county level with Cork. He was a key member of both the Cork football and hurling teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s, winning All-Ireland, Munster and National League titles in both codes.
After some relatively unsuccessful spells as manager of various club sides, Walsh took charge of the Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
senior football team in 2001. He left after two unsuccessful seasons. Walsh emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant managerial position with the Cork senior hurling team and was duly appointed in March 2009.
Biography
Denis Walsh was born in Ballynoe, County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1965. He was educated at the local national school where he first played hurling and football. Walsh later attended boarding school in Carrignavar where his sporting talents were further developed. Walsh currently works as a self-employed financial adviser.
Club
Walsh played his club hurling with St. Catherine'sSt Catherine's GAA
St.Catherine's GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the Ballynoe parish in East County Cork, Ireland. The club caters for players at all age levels in hurling, Gaelic football, camogie and ladies football...
and his club football with Kildorrery
Kildorrery GAA
Kildorrery GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association based in the parish of Kildorrery, Cork, Ireland. The club fields teams in competitions organized by the Cork GAA county board and the Avondhu GAA divisional board. The club fields teams in both hurling and Gaelic football.-History:The club was...
and enjoyed much success as a dual star. He first tasted victory with St. Catherine's in 1983 when the club captured the Imokilly divisional title. St. Catherine's later represented the division in the county championship and defeated Aghabullogue
Aghabullogue GAA
Aghabullogue GAA are a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Cork, Ireland. They are affiliated to the Cork County Board and play in the Mid Cork division of Cork GAA. Aghabullogue cater for both Gaelic football and hurling.-History:...
, giving Walsh a county junior championship
Cork Junior Hurling Championship
The Cork Junior Hurling Championship is the third tier championship for hurling clubs in Cork. The winners of this championship compete in the Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship in the following year. This championship is often considered the most difficult championship to win, since more teams...
winners' medal.
In 1984 Walsh was a key member of the Imolkilly
Imokilly GAA
Imokilly GAA is a Gaelic football and Hurling division in the east of Cork, Ireland. The division includes towns such as Midleton, Cobh, and Youghal. It is one of eight divisions of Cork County Board. It organizes competitions for the clubs within the division, from Under 12 up to the adult level...
divisional football team that competed in the senior county championship. The mighty St. Finbarr's
St. Finbarr's GAA
St. Finbarr's National Hurling and Football Club is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the Togher area of Cork city, County Cork, Ireland....
provided the opposition, however, Imokilly proved too strong and won the game by 1-14 to 2-7. Not only was it Imokilly's first major triumph at senior level but the victory also gave Walsh a coveted county senior championship title.
Two years later in 1986 Imokilly faced St. Finbarr's again in the county final. After a tense game Imokilly defeated 'the Barr's' by a solitary point, giving Walsh a second county winners' medal in three years.
After a drought of success 1994 proved to be a bumper year for Walsh at club level. He won a North Cork junior 'A' football title with Kildorrery, before lining out with St. Catherine's in the intermediate hurling county final. Cloughduv
Cloughduv GAA
Cloughduv GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association based in the village of Cloughduv in County Cork, Ireland. The club is a member of the Muskerry division of Cork GAA. The club fields hurling team only...
provided the opposition, however, Walsh ended up on the winning side with a 3-12 to 2-11 score line.
In the twilight of his club career Walsh tasted success one final time in 2004. St. Catherine's reached the final of the premier intermediate championship. Courcey Rovers
Courcey Rovers GAA
Courcey Rovers is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the villages of Ballinspittle and Ballinadee in County Cork, Ireland. The club fields both hurling, Gaelic football and camogie teams. It has historically concentrated on hurling. The club is part of the Carrigdhoun division of Cork...
provided the opposition, however, St. Catherine's won the day with a 1-11 to 1-8 score line. It was Walsh's second winners' medal in that grade and a fitting way to bow out of club hurling.
Minor & under-21
Walsh first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a footballer at underage levels for Cork. He won a MunsterMunster Minor Football Championship
The Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
medal at minor level in 1983 following a 1-11 to 1-15 defeat of Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. Walsh, however, didn’t play in the subsequent All-Ireland final, a game which saw Derry
Derry GAA
The Derry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Derry GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland. It is responsible for Gaelic games in the GAA county of Derry, which covers virtually the same territory as the former administrative county of Londonderry...
emerge victorious by just two points.
Walsh later joined the Cork under-21 team where he enjoyed much more success. 1985 saw him add a Munster
Munster Under-21 Football Championship
The Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
medal to his collection in this grade following an eleven-point trouncing of Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
in the provincial final. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Walsh play at corner-back against Derry. ‘The Rebels’ avenged their defeat at minor level two years previously by beating Derry by 0-14 to 1-18. It was Walsh’s first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
winners' medal in the under-21 grade.
In 1986 the Cork under-21 footballers continued their provincial dominance. A narrow 0-8 to 0-7 win over Tipperary gave Walsh his second Munster winners' medal at under-21 level. He later played in a second successive All-Ireland final with Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
providing the opposition. The game was a one-sided affair as the Cork team were the easy winners on a score line of 3-16 to 0-12. It was Walsh’s second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 medal and his last outing in that grade.
Senior
By this stage Walsh’s hurling skills had been noticed by the Cork senior selectors. Cork retained their provincial dominance in 1986 as the county captured a fifth Munster title in-a-row. It was Walsh's first MunsterMunster Senior Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
winners' medal in this grade. Following an unconvincing display by Cork against Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
he later lined out in the All-Ireland final against Galway. The men from the west were the red-hot favourites against an ageing Cork team, however, on the day a different story unfolded. Four Cork goals, one from John Fenton
John Fenton
John Fenton is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1987. Fenton is regarded as one of Cork's greatest-ever players.-Club:Fenton played his club hurling with his local Midleton club and...
, two from Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy
Tomás Mulcahy is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Glen Rovers and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1983 until 1994. Mulcahy currently works as a pundit with The Sunday Game...
and one from Kevin Hennessy
Kevin Hennessy
Kevin Hennessy is an Irish retired sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Midleton and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1993.-Club:...
, stymied the Galway attack and helped ‘the Rebels’ to a 4-13 to 2-15 victory. It was Walsh's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
winners’ medal at senior level.
In 1987 Walsh was a firm fixture on both the Cork senior hurling and football teams. The hurlers surrendered their provincial and All-Ireland crowns to Tipperary; however, the footballers were just beginning a remarkable run of success. After a draw and a replay ‘the Rebel’s broke Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
’s stranglehold on provincial football with a 0-13 to 1-5 victory. It was Walsh’s first senior Munster
Munster Senior Football Championship
The Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
football title. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Cork play Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
for the first time in twenty years. Cork stormed into an early lead, however, it was Meath who led by a point at half-time. The second half saw Larry Tompkins
Larry Tompkins
Larry Tompkins is a retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football at various times with his local clubs Eadestown in Kildare and Castlehaven in Cork. He also played football with both the Kildare and Cork senior inter-county teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s...
kick six of his eight frees wide, resulting in a bitter 1-14 to 0-11 defeat for Cork.
1988 saw Walsh collect a second Munster football title with a narrow 1-14 to 0-16 win over arch-rivals Kerry. Cork later qualified for their second consecutive All-Ireland final with Meath providing the opposition once again. Cork stormed ahead after just three minutes when Teddy McCarthy
Teddy McCarthy
Teddy McCarthy is a retired Irish dual player. He played hurling with his local club Sarsfield's and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1986 until 1996. McCarthy also played Gaelic football with his local club Glanmire and with the Cork senior inter-county team from 1987 until 1995...
scored the only goal of five consecutive All-Ireland final appearances for Cork. Meath fought back and secured a 0-12 to 1-9 draw. Walsh, who was substituted in the drawn game was not a member of the starting fifteen for the replay. That game proved to be a tough, controversial affair with Meath reduced to fourteen men with the sending off of Gerry McEntee
Gerry McEntee
Gerry McEntee was the manager of the 2008 Dublin minor football team and is a retired inter-county Irish Gaelic footballer for County Meath in Ireland. He enjoyed much success playing inter-county football in the Eighties & early Nineties on the Meath teams managed by Sean Boylan, for whom he...
. In spite of being outnumbered Meath still won the game by 0-13 to 0-12.
1989 began well with Walsh adding a third consecutive Munster medal to his collection following another win over Kerry. The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Walsh dropped from the team again as Mayo
Mayo GAA
The Mayo County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Mayo GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Mayo and the Mayo inter-county teams.-History:...
played Cork in a unique pairing. Cork were on top for much of the game, however, a goal by substitute Anthony Finnerty gave Mayo a brief lead. Cork held on to win the game by 0-17 to 1-11.
1990 proved to be a memorable year for Walsh and for Cork. A key member of the senior hurling team, he won a third Munster winners' medal following a great victory over Tipperary, the reigning All-Ireland champions. Not long after this Walsh was playing in the Munster football final. For the fourth year in-a-row Cork were the masters of the province as they trounced Kerry by 2-23 to 1-11. The subsequent All-Ireland hurling final that year pitted Cork against Galway for the second time in four years. Galway were once again the bookies favourites and justified this tag by going seven points ahead at the interval. Cork fought back with an expert display by Tomás Mulcahy and went on to win a high-scoring and open game of hurling by 5-15 to 2-12. It was Walsh’s second All-Ireland hurling medal. Two weeks after this victory Walsh was back in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
as a member of the Cork football panel that were playing in the All-Ireland final. Old rivals Meath were the opponents on this occasion as the two sides met for the third time in four years. Walsh, however, played no part in the game as the fourteen men of Cork won the game by 0-11 to 0-9. Disappointingly, Walsh was not eligible for an All-Ireland medal, even as a substitute. He left the Cork inter-county football team following this.
In 1991 Cork surrendered their provincial hurling crown to Tipperary, however, the following year saw Walsh taste more success. The provincial final saw 'the Rebels' defeat Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
by 1-22 to 3-11, giving Walsh a fourth provincial winners' medal, his fifth in all. Cork later qualified for the All-Ireland final where Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
provided the opposition. ‘The Cats’ played against a strong wind in the first half and were only two points down at the interval thanks to a goal by D.J. Carey. Further goals by John Power
John Power (hurler)
John Power is a former Irish sportsperson who played hurling with his local club John Lockes and Kilkenny from 1986 to 2004. In that time, he won four All-Ireland titles and two All Star awards, as well as having the honour of being included on the Kilkenny Hurling Team of the Century...
and Michael Phelan
Michael Phelan (hurler)
Michael 'Titch' Phelan , from Glenmore, County Kilkenny, Ireland, is a former inter-county hurler. Phelan was formally recognised as a sportsperson of national significance in 1992 when nominated as a GAA Allstar. He played both for his local club Glenmore and as a member of the Kilkenny senior...
gave Kilkenny a 3-10 to 1-12 victory.
In 1993 Walsh added to his already impressive medal tally as he collected a National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
title following a three-game saga with Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
. Success in the championship eluded him. That same year Walsh was also a key member of the Cork junior football panel. He picked up a Munster
Munster Junior Football Championship
The Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
title in this grade before later lining out in the All-Ireland championship decider. Mayo provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Cork had a relatively comfortable 0-15 to 0-7 victory over their rivals. This was Walsh’s last major outing on the inter-county scene. He retired from inter-county hurling in 1996.
Inter-provincial
Walsh also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured his sole Railway Cup medal in 1992 as Munster defeated Ulster
Ulster GAA
The Ulster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, and handball in the province of Ulster. The headquarters of the Ulster GAA is based in Armagh City....
by 3-12 to 1-8.
Managerial career
While still a player Walsh became involved in the coaching of various club teams in both hurling and football. In the late 1990s he served as a hurling coach with his native St. Catherine’s club before also having a stint with BallyduffBallyduff Upper GAA
Ballyduff Upper GAA Club is a GAA club based in the west County Waterford village of Ballyduff, Republic of Ireland. The club has won the Waterford Senior Hurling Championship three times, in 1982, 1987 and most recently in 2007...
in Waterford. Walsh also worked as manager of the Cork club Carrigtwohill
Carrigtwohill GAA
Carrigtwohill GAA is a Gaelic Football and hurling club based in the parish of Carrigtwohill in Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Imokilly board competitions. In 2011 the Senior hurling team won a first county title in 93 years...
in hurling. All of these ventures were largely unsuccessful in terms of capturing county championship titles.
Waterford
In October 2001 Walsh was appointed manager of the WaterfordWaterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
senior football team. It was a tough assignment as Waterford were regarded as one of the minnows of Gaelic football. His first game in charge was a Munster quarter-final against Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
, game which Waterford could be contenders for victory in spite of their low profile. A 3-10 to 2-9 defeat sent Waterford into the 'qualifiers'. Waterford also lost their next game and were dumped out of the championship. Walsh was manager for a second season in 2002. That year Waterford exited the provincial championship at the first hurdle again, following a defeat by Tipperary. The resultant qualifier game was not kind as Waterford were pitted against reigning All-Ireland champions Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
. That game turned into an absolute rout as Armagh won easily by 2-21 to 0-8. This defeat brought Walsh's reign as Waterford manager to an end.
Cork
On 26 March 2009 Walsh was named as the new manager of the Cork senior hurling team. He was installed as a full-time replacement for Gerald McCarthy who vacated the position after a prolonged strike by the entire hurling panel due to the nature of his appointment for a second two-year term. The task ahead was enormous as Cork had missed out on early-season training and the opening two rounds of the National League. Walsh's first two games in charge saw Cork being trounced by Kilkenny before putting up a spirited display against Waterford but eventually recording a defeat.Walsh's first championship game in charge saw Cork take on Tipperary in Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium
Semple Stadium, located in Thurles, North Tipperary, Ireland, is the home of hurling for Tipperary GAA and for the province of Munster. It is the second largest stadium in Ireland with a capacity of 53,500....
. While many expected Tipp to trounce Cork, Walsh's side fought admirably before eventually losing by 1-19 to 0-19. After a convincing win over Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the opening round of the qualifiers, Walsh's next assignment with Cork was a win-or-bust All-Ireland qualifier meeting with an in-form Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. After an opening half which saw both sides trade tit-for-tat scores, Galway pulled away in the final ten minutes to record a 1-19 to 0-15 victory, their fifth-ever over Cork.
In August 2011 the Cork County Committee confirmed that they would not be extending the tenure of Walsh after two and a half years.
Cork
- All-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
:- Winner (2): 1989All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1989-All-Ireland Final:...
(sub), 1990All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1990The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship of 1990 was the 104th staging of Ireland's premier Gaelic football knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Meath 0-11 to 0-9 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin...
(sub) - Runner-up (2): 1987All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1987-All-Ireland Final:...
, 1988All-Ireland Senior Football Championship 1988-All-Ireland Final:...
- Winner (2): 1989
- Munster Senior Football ChampionshipMunster Senior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council and are played during the summer months...
:- Winner (1): 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990
- Runner-up (1): 1986
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipAll-Ireland Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
:- Winner (2): 1986All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1986The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1986 was the 100th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Galway 4-13 to 2-15 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Fortmat:Munster Championship...
, 1990All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1990The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1990 was the 104th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Cork won the championship, beating Galway 5-15 to 2-21 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Teams:... - Runner-up (1): 1992All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship 1992The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship of 1992 was the 106th staging of Ireland's premier hurling knock-out competition. Kilkenny won the championship, beating Cork 3-10 to 1-12 in the final at Croke Park, Dublin.-Participating counties:...
- Winner (2): 1986
- Munster Senior Hurling ChampionshipMunster Senior Hurling ChampionshipThe Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....
:- Winner (5): 1984, 1985 (sub), 1986, 1990, 1992
- Runner-up (3): 1987, 1988, 1991
- All-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Junior Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Junior Football Championship is a Gaelic Athletic Association competition for junior gaelic football inter-county teams in Ireland. The definition of what constitutes a junior player differs from county to county. In some, the junior team is the second team after the senior team...
:- Winner (1): 1993
- Munster Junior Football ChampionshipMunster Junior Football ChampionshipThe Munster Junior football championship is an annual Gaelic football competition between the Munster GAA counties. The rules with respect to who is eligible vary between the counties. In Cork and Kerry, the players can not play with a senior club. In the other four counties, any player who is not...
:- Winner (1): 1993
- All-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months...
:- Winner (2): 1985, 1986
- Munster Under-21 Football ChampionshipMunster Under-21 Football ChampionshipThe Munster Under-21 Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster, in Ireland....
:- Winner (2): 1985, 1986
- All-Ireland Minor Football ChampionshipAll-Ireland Minor Football ChampionshipThe All-Ireland Minor Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland...
:- Winner (0):
- Runner-up (1): 1983 (sub)
- Munster Minor Football ChampionshipMunster Minor Football ChampionshipThe Munster Minor Football Championship is the Minor "knockout" competition in the game of Gaelic football played in the province of Munster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Munster Council. The current Munster Minor football champions are Tipperary. Clare won the inaugural...
:- Winner (1): 1983
As a player
| Performance | NHL | SHC | NFL | SFC | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | Apps | Scr | Apps | Scr | Apps | Scr | Apps | Scr | Apps | Scr |
| 1989-90 | Cork | 7 | 0-00 | 5 | 0-00 | 5 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | 18 | 0-00 |
| 1990-91 | Cork | 5 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | ||||||
| 6 | 0-00 | ||||||||||
| 1991-92 | Cork | 7 | 0-00 | 4 | 0-00 | ||||||
| 11 | 0-00 | ||||||||||
| 1992-93 | Cork | 7 | 0-00 | 1 | 0-00 | ||||||
| 8 | 0-00 | ||||||||||
| 1993-94 | Cork | 7 | 0-00 | ||||||||
| 7 | 0-00 | ||||||||||
| 1994-95 | Cork | 2 | 0-00 | ||||||||
| 2 | 0-00 | ||||||||||
| Career Total | |||||||||||
As a manager
| Team | From | To | National League Record | Championship Record | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | P | W | D | L | Win % | |||
| Waterford Waterford GAA The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county... |
October 2001 | June 2001 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 00.00% | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 00.00& |
| Cork | 26 March 2009 | 23 August 2011 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 62.50% | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 33.33% |