Frustrated star Tommy Walsh set to quit Kerry panel

Tommy Walsh is poised to quit the Kerry football squad amid growing frustration at his lack of game time with the Kingdom, the Irish Examiner understands.

The Kerins O’Rahilly man was an unused substitute in last Sunday’s Allianz league final defeat to Dublin on a day Kerry used their full allowance of six replacements.

It may have been the final straw for the Kerins O’Rahillys man, who also saw no game time in last September’s All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin.

Since his return from Australia ahead of the 2015 campaign, Walsh’s time with Kerry has been pockmarked by frustration, as he struggled to pin down a place in midfield or at full-forward, where he excelled in the 2009 All-Ireland final.

He produced an impressive cameo in the facile All-Ireland quarter-final win over Kildare last August, but even with two starts in this year’s League against Dublin in January and Roscommon a week later, he has been unable to force his way up the pecking order, with Valentia newcomer Brendan O’Sullivan seemingly ahead of him in terms of game time.

The Kerry squad has been given this week off by manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice before preparations begin for their defence of the Munster Championship with a June clash against the winners of Clare and Limerick.