Fitzmaurice to ‘tap into’ Walsh’s AFL experience

All-Ireland winning manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice says he will "definitely be tapping into" the invaluable experience brought to the table by returning Kerry footballer Tommy Walsh.

The Sydney Swans player yesterday revealed he will not be seeking an extension of his AFL contract and is to return home later this year after five seasons down under.

“I’ll be going back to my club, Kerins O’Rahilly’s, and I don’t know, but maybe Kerry as well,” Wash told SwansTV.

Walsh lined out at full-forward in Kerry’s 2009 All-Ireland final win, kicking four points from play, and Fitzmaurice has described the 26-year old’s return as a “big boost” to their title defence.

“Most teams now, whether it’s football or hurling, are at a very professional level. There is a lot of expertise in the backroom teams. However, you can always have more. Somebody coming from a full-time, professional background, like Tommy, will bring a lot to the table, not just for his football, but the overall experiences he has picked up across five years,” the Kerry boss told RTÉ.

“Last Christmas when Tommy was home, I met him and we had a good chat. I got good ideas off him. That [experience] will be a big help to us next year and I’ll definitely be tapping into some of that.”

The return to fitness of Colm Cooper and Walsh’s availability will ensure stiff competition for a starting berth in Kerry’s forward unit.

“Tommy will be keen to get back involved. If he’s in the squad, it’s up to himself then to stake a claim for a place on the team. That’ll be a situation happening throughout 2015.

“It’s great news for us that he is coming back. When you’re trying to retain an All-Ireland title, you are going to need new angles and new fellas to come in, to drive it on. The return of Tommy will be a boost and Colm [Cooper] getting back to full fitness will also be a boost.”

Reflecting on his stint down under, Walsh said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here. It’s the best thing I ever did.

“To be able to experience professional sport in two great cities with two great clubs, I’ve met a lot of great people and I’ll have friends for the rest of my life over here.”

Armagh footballer Aaron Kernan tweeted: “Tommy Walsh, the Gooch and a fully fit Darran O’Sullivan all returning in 2015. It’s sure to be a nice headache for Eamon Fitzmaurice.”