The Kerry native, the Donegal star and life inside the Kilkenny football team

'Anyone coming in to play football with Kilkenny even at minor level has a bit of character about themselves. A bit of personality. Someone who can think for themselves'

TOUGH GIG: Kilkenny manager Christy Walsh: 'We can be the last resort at times.'
Pic: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

It’s a balmy May evening at Kilkenny GAA’s training facility in Dunmore and the county’s football manager, Christy Walsh, is collecting footballs behind the town-end goal. His team have just finished a rigorous warm up and are preparing for their first challenge game of the year against a club side, Thurles Sarsfields.

Neither could be claimed a footballing heartland but judging by the respective numbers on each panel, both are eager. Kilkenny remain the only inter-county football team in Ireland not participating in the Allianz Football League. They have already started and finished the county's senior football championship, the final on May 2nd - Mullinavat 1-21 Mooncoin 0-14.