Walsh will give all for Ireland

Ireland vice-captain Aidan Walsh admits he was frustrated by people in Cork telling him he should be putting his club ahead of his International Rules duties.

He breathed a sigh of relief when the county board pushed back Kanturk’s intermediate hurling final against Éire Óg by a week to November 3, meaning both he and Ciaran Sheehan will be available for the second test.

However, there was a possibility of the pair having to make a call between playing one or the other with the original scheduling of the final falling within 24 hours of the Croke Park game.

“For us it’s a great honour and we know we’re very lucky and very privileged to get the opportunity to play for our country. When people come up to you and say, ‘your club should be more important’ and that this series isn’t taken seriously at all it does hurt. Like, I’ve been travelling up from Cork for the last seven weeks, training every weekend and a lot of effort has gone into it.

“These are great opportunities and they don’t come around too often. Even two years ago, the fellas who were on that panel didn’t get asked to participate or even to try to get on this panel. You never know what could happen next year or in two years’ time. You mightn’t get asked.

“Once Paul (Earley) rang me probably three months ago, I just jumped at the chance. I knew I was going to have problems with the club because we were still involved with hurling and football but I was willing to make the sacrifice and try to juggle the whole lot together because as I said it’s a great honour and a privilege to play for your country.”

Walsh isn’t ignorant enough to notice the series has “lost its recognition” and “people don’t take it seriously anymore”.

He places a lot of the responsibility for that on the Australians not putting out a strong enough side on their home patch two years ago.

“They’d a poor enough team and that downgraded the competition a bit more so it’s good to see Australia picking a good, strong panel,” said Walsh, who said he’d likely have accepted a rookie AFL contract had he been offered one after a trial in UL some years back.

He is aiming to contribute to what he hopes is a series that re-engages with the Irish public. “There are some tests you see the Mexican wave and all that stuff happening in the crowd. When you’re playing and you see that going on you think ‘obviously we’re not entertaining them enough’.

“It would be great to make it an enjoyable game for the crowd and for them to get behind us and drive us on.”

The 23-year-old won’t make a decision on making himself available to both Cork’s senior football and hurling panels next year, insisting he’ll first speak to new football manager Brian Cuthbert about the subject.

He’s looking forward to seeing what management team Cuthbert puts together. “He was a selector last year so we know what he’s like and what he can bring to the set-up. I suppose the big thing now is who he’ll bring in with him, who’ll be his backroom team.

“In the modern game now your coach, your manager, your selectors are all key to your success. It will be interesting to see in the next few days to see who he brings in with him.”

Walsh also paid tribute to his now former team-mate Noel O’Leary who retired from inter-county football during the week.

“I suppose since I came into the panel in ’09 he’s been one of the main men, the main characters, the main players in the group. It’s very disappointing to see a player like him go. I suppose last year wasn’t really a good year for him, seeing as he didn’t get much game time.

“He’s a big loss to us but no doubt there’s fellas to step us for us into his position and we have to push on.”