Counihan slams college rule barring Walsh

Cork manager Conor Counihan has criticised a new ruling which is barring his All Star midfielder Aidan Walsh from playing college football.

The GAA’s Higher Education Board’s ruling in October prevents players who have studied more than two college courses from playing football or hurling at third level. Walsh, who previously enrolled in two courses in CIT, is now being prevented from playing football for his new college DCU.

Walsh had an appeal to the Central Appeals Committee thrown out over the weekend.

The All Star did not complete his first course in CIT and Counihan, speaking on DCUfm, described the young midfielder as a ‘victim of the unfair ruling’.

“Said Counihan: This seems unfair because fellas at 18 or 19 aren’t sure about their future and they don’t know which courses are appropriate; each case is judged on its merits but I think it’s unfortunate that he has been a victim in this.”

The Aghada man also believes the ruling will stunt Walsh’s development as a player and consequently a setback for the Cork team next season.

The Cork boss went on: “I think like any player it would broaden his education, he would have come under top quality coaches, he’d be playing at a very high level of football and that could only be good for the development of the player so it’s a setback from that point of view.”

Walsh agrees with his coach, stating: ‘This is the first year I’ll be away from the Cork scene until May. I’m up here now and I’m saying to myself, how am I going to be able to keep up that level of intensity that’s needed for the league with Cork?”

The Kanturk man ruled out a move to a Dublin club for training purposes: “I would never do that to be honest with you. It’s only until May that I’ll be stuck and I’ll be home again.”