Aidan Walsh hinders his Rules chances

New Ireland International Rules manager Joe Kernan believes Aidan Walsh’s chances of extending his International Rules career will be hindered by his decision to concentrate his efforts with Cork’s hurlers this year.

Walsh was vice-captain to Michael Murphy in Perth last November, but admitted beforehand it would be his last test. Another dual player Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has previously joined the Ireland panel, despite having ended his inter-county football career.

However, Kernan indicated he would be looking at inter-county footballers only for the one-off November 21 test in Croke Park.

“We won’t close the door on anybody. We will look at anybody we think we can get. But in fairness, if Aidan isn’t playing football, it’s very hard to come back. If you’re out of the game for a while, it takes you a while to adapt.

“Tommy Walsh is back in the country and he hasn’t played much football but, if he plays well during the summer, he has a good chance of being on this. We won’t close the door on anybody, but we will judge them on how they are performing. There’s only a panel of 24 players seemingly and you’re going to get the 24 best players and those who suit the way we’re playing.”

Kernan will be joined by outgoing Kerry U21 manager Darragh Ó Sé, former Ireland captain Padraic Joyce, as well as Kildare’s Dermot Earley, as selectors. At his announcement yesterday, he emphasised the need for Ireland to make their familiarity with the round ball count against the Australians.

“If someone told me that an Australian could kick a Gaelic ball, a round ball, better than us, I wouldn’t believe them,” said Kernan.

He added: “Maybe, over these last few years, we’re not kicking the ball as long as we could. I can only say what I did in management myself of my own club and county. We did kick the ball and that’s what we’ll try and get back to. We have time to do that.

“It’s only a matter of refreshing it. It is like riding a bike, you don’t forget, but sometimes you have to get up and practise it enough. Maybe teams aren’t practising it enough here at the minute, but that is one thing we are going to be working on big time.”

It had been hoped in Australia that this year’s test would be played in New York or Boston, but GAA president Aogán Ó Fearghail ruled that out, saying the games should only be played in Ireland or Australia.

It was confirmed yesterday Ireland will again travel to Australia in 2017 following a break next year.

However, Kernan and Ó Fearghail differed on whether the concept should continue as a one- or two-test series.

Ó Fearghail personally prefers two tests, whereas Kernan favours the current one-test format: “A few years ago, there were two games and people weren’t that impressed. To me, as a manager, you have one chance to get this right and we have got to be ready and that is up to us as management over the next few months.”