Cork U20s must face Waterford without Barry Walsh

Walsh looks set to make his Cork championship debut against Tipperary on Sunday

Barry Walsh scored 2-9 for Cork in their Munster U20 Hurling Championship win against Limerick. Pic: Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Old news to begin with. The Cork U20s will be without Barry Walsh for their Munster U20 Round 3 game away to Waterford on Wednesday evening (Fraher Field, 7.35pm).

Unlike his point of view when in charge of the county U20s, senior manager Ben O’Connor’s pulling of Walsh demonstrates that he no longer believes players of that age-grade can play two championship games - one at U20, the other at senior - in the space of four days.

Two weeks ago, the Killeagh youngster struck 2-9 against Limerick to deliver Cork’s opening win in the provincial U20 championship. The Cork-Limerick League final took place four days later. Walsh did not feature in the defeat. At a pre-championship media briefing two days after the League final loss, Ben O’Connor explained why.

“He played on Wednesday, so we wouldn't play him on Sunday. That's two big games in that space of time, and like, he is only a young fella. We wouldn't risk injuring him. We want Barry going forward, so there was no point taking a chance with him on Sunday after he played Wednesday,” said O’Connor.

“You have to look after the workload. That's the reasoning that he didn't tog with us.” 

O’Connor was then asked by the Irish Examiner about management of that load going forward into the Munster SHC round-robin and the requirement for regular communication between himself and U20 boss Noel Furlong.

“We'll just have to play it as we see it going on. We're four sessions out from Tipp, so obviously we haven't the team picked for it yet. Again, it depends on how fellas are going in training. If fellas are playing well, they'll be on. That's the same for Barry,” O'Connor continued.

“We'll just see how things are going closer to the games and see where in the pecking order Barry is, and we'll go from there.” 

As everyone has already interpreted, the senior management’s subsequent diktat that Walsh not line out for the U20s in Dungarvan would suggest he’s in line for his senior championship debut at Thurles on Sunday.

O’Connor is quite entitled to change his opinion on the ability of an U20 talent to line out at both their own age-grade and senior in the same week, but his point of view was very, very different when Eoin Downey could not line out in the 2023 Munster U20 final because of the then rule that prohibited players from playing U20 and senior games within a seven-day period.

“Tis just a pity now we could be without Eoin Downey for the final. It’s a pure joke that a fella can’t play at his own age group. If he’s available and he wants to, he should be left play senior and 20,” said Ben at the time.

That rule was subsequently altered, on foot of a Cork motion, to prohibit U20 and senior crossover in a reduced 60-hour window, meaning Walsh is eligible to tog at Dungarvan and again at Thurles.

Victory for the Cork U20s at Fraher Field, such have been the winless starts of Waterford and Limerick, would almost certainly guarantee a top three finish. Lose and their fate will be determined by the final game against Clare on April 29, three days after the seniors host Limerick and 10 days before they go to Waterford.

CORK (U20 v Waterford): Ó Walsh (Youghal); D Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers), M Barrett (Carrigtwohill), D Heavin (Russell Rovers); MT Brosnan (Glen Rovers), D O’Leary (Ballincollig), Ben Walsh (Killeagh); C Garde (Lisgoold), J O’Brien (Cloyne); Z Biggane (Charleville), J Murphy (Dromina), J O’Brien (Douglas); F O’Brien (Erin’s Own), B O’Flynn (Sarsfields), C Noonan (Kanturk).

Subs: T Walsh (Aghada), R O’Riordan (Blackrock), J Counihan (Watergrasshill), J Galvin (Éire Óg), J Murphy (Mallow), M O’Brien (Douglas), C O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), C Deane (Killeagh), D Wall (Glen Rovers).