Dempsey blasts Wicklow over Walsh

CARLOW football manager Luke Dempsey has criticised Wicklow over the Thomas Walsh affair and described the player’s links with the Garden County as “tenuous”.

Dempsey insisted that he has put the issue behind him but admitted that Walsh’s refusal to return to his native county left him hugely disappointed.

Walsh, who transferred to Wicklow in late 2006, will line out for Mick O’Dwyer’s team once again in this year’s championship.

But Dempsey, who described the situation as a “sorry mess”, added: “There was very little respect for an unwritten code between counties that you don’t come in and take a player.

“Three parties have dirty hands – the Wicklow County Board is one, the Wicklow joint-management team and the player himself.

“This is the time of year to be playing football and we have lads committed so it’s water under the bridge but I was upset over Thomas Walsh.

“My links with him go back to the Leinster panel when I had him as a player in 2004 and he agreed that he would certainly not be playing with Wicklow this year and he would come back to Carlow. I felt personally let down by that but we’ve moved on.”

Dempsey also expressed his surprise that a number of other players left the Carlow squad during the year, including Ray Walker, Paul Cashin, Padraig Bambrick and David Byrne.

Dempsey estimated that as many as 10 players made themselves unavailable for various reasons and he said: “I’m very surprised when players drop themselves off the panel. For me, there’s nothing greater than playing for your county and pulling on the jersey brings great rewards.”

Carlow open their Leinster SFC campaign against Louth at Parnell Park on Sunday week, May 17, and Dempsey is carrying a panel of 26 players into the clash with the Wee County.

Meanwhile Kerry coach Jack O’Connor received another boost last night when Dr Crokes’ ace Eoin Brosnan returned to training with the Kingdom. The Killarney man has not played for the county since last year’s All-Ireland final defeat to Tyrone, and his absence during the National League suggested he would play no part in Kerry’s Championship effort.

However he was one of a number of new faces at training last night as the Kingdom began preparations for their June 7 Munster SFC clash against either Cork or Waterford.