Walsh ready for battle with housemate pal Flynn

Naturally, it’s been radio silence with his college housemate Paul Flynn this week, but Aidan Walsh doesn’t forget what the Dublin footballer did for him earlier this year.

Ask him how supportive Flynn was during Walsh’s elongated and unsuccessful eligibility case to play for DCU, the Kanturk man says: “Huge. He was captain of the DCU team and was really pushing for me to get to play which is hugely appreciated (he spoke out for Walsh in the press too).

“The rest of the Dublin players, Jonny Cooper, James McCarthy, were all helping me big time. They’re fierce nice guys and I have great time for them.”

Flynn texted him prior to the win over Galway last weekend but the pleasantries will be parked tomorrow when the pair are likely to be battling each other in close quarters.

“He’s a fierce man under the breaks and stuff,” says Walsh. “He’s definitely one of their main players and he’s been one of their top players in the past two seasons.

“If he’s playing well then the rest of the team are playing well so we know ourselves that he will have to be stopped at source if we are to have any chance of getting over Dublin.”

The game brings Walsh back to the 2010 All-Ireland semi-final when he felt he was a little wet behind the ears even if he did finish the season as young footballer of the year.

“Looking back I was just a bit naïve. I didn’t really take much notice of it. I still think about it a lot. I remember walking around in the parade in front of the Hill, you couldn’t hear yourself really but, like that, I just relish the occasion. When you’re retired and finished you look back on them occasions and you hopefully look back on the occasion with good thoughts, that you gave it your all and you did your best.”

Walsh has spent this summer making hurleys at home, Anthony Nash and Lorcán McLoughlin using his products in this year’s Championship. Moving to the capital to study had an impact on his business: “When I went to Dublin I lost a lot of customers. I wasn’t around to make hurleys for people and people get frustrated with you then when you’re not around to make them for them.”

Having seen them beat the All-Ireland favourites in that code, he sees similarities as the footballers prepare to face Dublin: ” No one’s giving us a chance so we’ve really nothing to lose. Just go out and have a cut off it.

“No one gave Cork a chance against Kilkenny. The hurlers came back (after the Munster final defeat) and showed what they are capable of. We can take a lot of positives from that. We haven’t played as well as we can this year but we know we can if we just produce the goods and it just comes down to who wants it more.”

Walsh has been a key figure in Cork’s comebacks of late, the failed one against Kerry and the successful one over Galway, but warns they can’t rely on another tomorrow evening.

“If Dublin get a good start on us it’ll be very, very hard to get it back. They’re probably the best team in the country at the moment. So I think the first half is vital and the game will probably be decided in the first half.”