Cork’s Walsh in the dark over dual clash

CORK senior footballer Aidan Walsh’s participation in Wednesday’s Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21HC quarter-final against Waterford in Páirc Uí Chaoimh remains in doubt due his involvement in the provincial senior football semi-final showdown against Kerry on Sunday week.

Walsh admitted yesterday he is still in the dark as to whether he will play, and that a decision will be taken early next week. The Kanturk player featured for the county U21 hurling side at wing-back last year in their Munster quarter-final defeat against Tipperary and would be a valuable addition to Ger Fitzgerald’s charges.

But after an impressive league campaign, he is in a strong position to make his starting senior debut for the Cork footballers in Killarney on June 6.

He said: “I’m not sure yet what’s going to happen but early next week I’ll know.

“It’s not really a distraction, it’s a nice thing to have on the side. I was always keen to play the hurling and the football. It’s just disappointing that it’s all landing on the same week. I’ll know what the story will be next week.

“The two managers, Conor Counihan and Ger Fitzgerald, work together and communicate with each other as to when I can train. I haven’t been able to do much U21 hurling. I’ve done a small bit, played one or two matches but that’s about it.”

Walsh revealed that his involvement for the U21 grade turned him against attempting to combine both senior hurling and football from the outset this season, like Douglas dual star Eoin Cadogan.

Walsh, who will still be eligible for U21 next season, believes having two extra teams to play for did not make it viable to juggle both codes at intercounty level. But he does reckon that it is possible to be a dual player if the right level of co-operation exists between managers of the different teams.

“Being U21 I thought it would be too hard to do both. I have club and division and stuff as well. It’s just too hard at the moment. Maybe when I get out of U21, we’ll see how things go then. There is a massive step up in the commitment from being a dual minor.

“As regards Cadogan, it seems to work because there is a good relationship between Conor and Denis Walsh. I think if the hurlers and footballers have a relationship like that, it can work out.”