Micko rejects poaching claims

MICK O’DWYER is continuing to distance himself from the transfer of Carlow midfielder Thomas Walsh to the Bray Emmets club and his ‘declaration’ for Wicklow.

However, while strenuously rejecting allegations of poaching, he made it clear that he would welcome the player to the Wicklow squad with open arms.

“He has transferred to Bray and if he did that he can play for Wicklow. That’s automatic, isn’t it. What’s all the noise about,” O’Dwyer said yesterday. “It’s crazy. The Carlow Chairman is talking without knowing the facts!”

Meanwhile, the Wicklow Board has not commented officially on the transfer, with County Secretary Michael Murphy — across whose desk the transfer request would come, via the Leinster Council — is out of commission for a few days.

However, while a spokesman referred to it as ‘an ordinary run-of-the-mill’ transfer, he made the point that if it went through the player would still have the option to declare for Carlow. “One of our players is living in Wexford but he ‘declared’ for Wicklow.”

While Bray Emmets chairman Michael O’Byrne confirmed that the player ‘was coming’ to their club, he was unable to throw any light on the background to the move. “It’s an inter-county transfer. That is where it’s at. The papers are signed by our Secretary,” he commented.

Bray has a population of about 30,000 and Emmets are a big club. However, while they have been very successful at under-age level in hurling, they haven’t claimed a county senior football championship title since 1930.

Clearly Walsh, a Leinster player who was called for trials for the International Rules Series would be a major acquisition. It’s reported that he is based in Greystones, in the north Wicklow area.

While Carlow officials are at a loss to explain why the player decided to transfer (from the Fenagh club) when he had initially indicated he was staying, Mick O’Dwyer said it was his understanding that Walsh did not intend to play with the county this year.

He wasn’t in the Carlow team when Wicklow defeated them in the O’Byrne Cup. “Rumour had it that himself and his brother were going to play (rugby) with Bective — and that he wasn’t going to play with Carlow,” said the former Kerry maestro. “That is what I heard at the time.”

And, he repeated that he had never met Walsh, nor did he speak with him. However, he freely admitted that he would be ‘delighted’ to have him in the Wicklow set-up.

His rating of Walsh is that he is ‘a good enough player, as good as most players around.’

“I’ll accept any player, I can assure you. If he is coming to Wicklow and staying there, he’ll be able to play with the county. I’ll turn nobody away. Why should I!”

While the transfer has been lodged with the Leinster Council, the expectation is that it will be referred to the Wicklow board for consideration.