Walsh returns to the Carlow fold for tough test against former county

THOMAS WALSH will make his first start for Carlow in three years against his former county, Wicklow, in Sunday’s Leinster championship first round in Portlaoise.

Walsh transferred to Wicklow in controversial circumstances in 2007, also playing his club football with Bray Emmetts, but having returned to his roots in Carlow just over a month ago, will now resume that side of his football career on Sunday.

Carlow manager Luke Dempsey played a key role in persuading Walsh back to his native county, insisting whatever falling out he had with the county board was a thing of the past. Although Walsh transferred back to his Carlow club Fenagh at the end of last year, he didn’t play for Carlow during the league, choosing instead to play rugby with Tullow over the winter months, before Dempsey finally got him back on board in Carlow at the start of April.

“He’s been back with us since the end of the league,” said Dempsey yesterday. “He’s in great form, trained very well, and we’re delighted to have him back. He’s a huge addition to the team at midfield, along with Brendan Murphy, who is also back with us after a stint with the Australian Rules.”

Walsh was one of the key performers for Wicklow under Mick O’Dwyer for the past three years, and played a big role in their impressive run last summer all the way to the fourth round of the All-Ireland qualifiers, where they fell to Kildare.

Carlow are missing several first choice forwards, including Daniel St Ledger, who sustained a broken finger in a recent training game, and JJ Smith, who has a torn knee cartilage. Willie Minchin is also ruled out with a broken arm, as is John Murphy with a torn hamstring. Not that Dempsey is going to let that slow Carlow down.

“The championship is the yardstick everyone is measured on,” he said. “No one stops to ask who was injured or who was missing. No one wants to hear excuses. This is where you’re judged, simple as that. I’ve mixed feelings about Sunday. Trepidation, and anticipation. But we’ve prepared as well as we could. Wicklow had some huge victories last year in the qualifiers, and that always brings a team on.”

Wicklow will start as favourites but have some injury problems of their own with defenders Ciarán Hyland and Shane Power ruled out, and forwards Paul Earls and Dean Odlum both listed as doubtful. Dara Ó hAnnaidh, who has been based overseas for most of the winter, is also due back this weekend for his first start of the year.

Elsewhere, Derry defender Michael McGoldrick is expected to miss the Ulster championship opener against Armagh with a rib injury. Fellow defender Charlie Kielt has already been ruled out with a knee ligament injury. Fergal Doherty (hip) and Declan Mullan (hamstring) should be available while former All Star Enda Muldoon could also feature after recovering from a broken foot.

Armagh are resigned to start without forward Ronan Clarke due to the lingering effects of an Achilles tendon injury and fringe attacker Colm Watters is also ruled out with a dislocated shoulder but otherwise manager Paddy O’Rourke is expected to field a team along the lines of that which won the Division Two league title last month.

In hurling, Tipperary’s versatile player Benny Dunne has been ruled out of the Munster championship quarter-final clash with Cork on May 30th after breaking a bone in his wrist. The Munster champions are also monitoring the fitness of forwards Lar Corbett and Pat Kerwick before the Páirc Uí­ Chaoimh showdown. Kerwick hit two early points against Dublin last Monday but came off after 25 minutes with a recurrence of a troublesome groin injury, while Corbett is still feeling the effects of a knee injury.