No Fairytale Return For Tommy Walsh…For Now At Least

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Gavin O’Connor says Tommy Walsh had a tough time forcing his way into a Kerry team with lots of options… 

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High-flying Tommy Walsh in action for Kildare last August.

SOME things are just not meant to be and it looks like Tommy Walsh will not enjoy the fairytale return to Gaelic Football…well, for now anyway.

The news yesterday that the Kerins O’Rahilly’s man has withdrawn from the Kerry panel comes days after an 11 point defeat to Dublin in Croke Park, compounding the misery for Kerry fans since Sunday.

Tommy Walsh has chosen to take this step when the Kerry panel has a week off ahead of preparations for the championship. After just two championship appearances for Kerry in the run up to the All-Ireland final last year, Tommy Walsh started this year’s league campaign with a clean bill of health and a lot to prove.

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Kerry Roscommon 26

Tommy Walsh, surrounded by Roscommon players in the league game back in February, attempts a shot.

Ultimately his season ended with the former Sydney Swan named as second last sub for the National League Final defeat against Dublin.

He had started the two opening defeats of the campaign against Dublin and Roscommon. He played 65 minutes against Dublin, scoring one point and in the Roscommon match played 68 minutes and again knocked over a score.

Walsh made way for Kieran Donaghy for the trip to Down and played the last 10 minutes off the bench.

Except for the Donegal and Monaghan games – where Walsh was out with a knock – he sat on the bench against Cork where he made a late appearance and against Roscommon and Dublin in Croke Park where he did not.

If Tommy is at a crossroads in his career, then so to are the Kerry team with regards to their season, where they face into the summer trying to catch up with Dublin.

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The announcement leaves Eamonn Fitzmaurice with one less option in the forward line and midfield.

Walsh would have been going up against Kieran Donaghy, David Moran,  Anthony Maher, Bryan Sheehan  and the emerging Brendan O’Sullivan who looks to have jumped the queue lately.

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Tommy Walsh scoring a goal against Cork in the league last year.

It could be there where Tommy’s frustrations lie and where he feels he’s fighting a losing battle in the team.

As the league went on he was given less and less game time while Brendan O’Sullivan’s star was rising as he scored 0-2 off the bench against Down and Mayo.

The big Valentia man’s direct running was also a strong feature of his cameo appearances which added a jolt of energy to the attack. With Donaghy seemingly the preferred option for reacting to high balls around the square, he’s been squeezed out of favour there as well.

It’s sad that it has come to this for a return that promised so much, but perhaps people’s expectations can get the better of them and no doubt Walsh tried his best to force a way in.

Maybe Tommy has reached the point where he feels he cannot force the issue any longer with this current managerial team and that must have been a very difficult decision to make.

Still, what’s Kerry’s loss is now Kerins O’Rahilly’s gain as his full attention can now be focussed on club football. Hopefully, we’ll see the big man in green and gold again in the near future. He’s certainly young enough and talented enough to offer more for his county in years to come.

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