TJ REID’S PHONE beeped last Thursday morning and when Tommy Walsh’s name popped up on the screen, he presumed it would be a good luck message about Ballyhale’s Leinster club tie on Sunday.
Instead Walsh delivered the bombshell that he was severing his ties with the Kilkenny senior hurling squad, calling time on a decorated and lauded career.
“Big shock to the system, just reading through the lines and you’re seeing that he’s making his decision to retire,” revealed Reid. “A very sad day for ourselves and a very sad day for Kilkenny so it is. But he made his mind up and hopefully he’ll have a good life in his retirement.”
Reid made his senior championship debut in 2008 in the midst of Walsh’s golden Allstar winning run that saw him established as one of the leading hurlers in the country. Being pitched into training battles with Walsh was a serious testing ground for Reid in the early stages of his Cats career.
“I marked him when he was half-back in his prime,” outlines the 27 year-old. “One of the hardest guys to mark, high ball, low ball, he was just a tigerish man for the ball. Once it’s in there around him, he wants that ball.
“He gave us great leadership, spirit in the dressing-room. If Tommy Walsh spoke, you sat down and listened to him. That’s how good he was. He’s 31, I think it’s a reasonably young age. But obviously he spoke to his family and friends first and he made his decision.
“Whenever he got the ball, he never failed to distribute it wisely. I think it was the 2011 All-Ireland final he picked out Henry numerous times. That’s what you want from a half-back, picking out the forwards and giving the forward the best advantage he could. Tommy Walsh was the best at that.”
The Walsh influence in the Kilkenny team will continue in the shape of Padraig, a shining light in September’s win over Tipperary.
“You saw Padraig this year, he has the resemblance of Tommy,” agrees Reid. “It’s not too often you see that happening. He’s a great man in the air, like Tommy. I think Tommy’s name will live on.”
Thoughts of the inter-county game in 2015 will be parked by Reid for now. The AIB Leinster club hurling final looms large on 7 December after Ballyhale took care of Kilmacud Crokes last Sunday.
“It was dangerous because we only had a week to prepare. Kilmacud had two or three weeks so it would be easier for them coming into the game and raring to go. For us we were coming into the game off the (Kilkenny final) celebrations.
“I thought we dug it out, our work rate was impressive and a few of our scores were excellent as well. (We’re) looking forward to this final. We said it to ourselves in there, we might never get this chance again with the players we have. We’ll work hard over the next two weeks and really concentrate on the Offaly champions.”
Great game of football. Unfortunate mistake by Patton but what a joy to watch Murphy. This Dublin team will go down as the greatest ever and so could Murphy
@Shaun Gallagher: Murphy nowhere near greatest ever. Laughable.
@Jack Ronan: didn’t think it was funny but suppose everyone is different
Joe Brolly some dose, rte don’t make many good decisions but shafting him was spot on
@Ronny Phelan: he’s a joke, he’s become a Dublin fanatic rather than an analyst for the game. Donegal lead for 60 mins, they pegged back a 3 point deficit to a single score before the fulltime whistle went. If it went another 3 mins either side could have won it or end on a draw. Brollys acts as if we watched a Liverpool 5 nil trashing of city. Yes Dublin are good, yes they did 5 in a row, but bloody well analyse the game that was there. If monaghan beat mayo tomorrow their last 5 years performances won’t be mentioned.
@RJ: Yeah because they didnt win the last 5 all irelands and are a bunch of bottlers
@RJ: Why would anyone mention Monaghans last five years ?
Good game could have gone either way. Again time keeping inconsistencies, game stopped for nearly 2 and a half minutes for the Murphy Small sending off yet only an extra minute played.
@Gareth Keenan: refs can’t win when it comes to this.dubs cute out when the chips are down, you have to hand it to them.
@Fr Romeo sensini.: yeah definitely the GOAT.
@Fr Romeo sensini.: Refs can’t win? It’s a Flipping clock. Not a discretionary process. What a senseless comment. Over 2 mins stopped = 2 mins at least added. But I guess there was no need, Dublin had the lead
@RJ: you try doing it and dealing with 10 to 15 lads wrestling with each other at the same time.
John Small is some pantomime villain.
@Robb Stark: Oh no he isn’t
More cynical play to get Murphy sent off.
@raymond flynn: Murphy is no angel but Small is always at it.
@raymond flynn: didn’t see too many of the yahoo’s in blue running in to fight ter this evening!! But few weeks back they wer very tough trying too beat a few young Kerry players!!!
@raymond flynn: Murphy is well able to get himself sent off
@Yusufmc: grow up.
@Yusufmc: are you drunk?
@GrumpyAulFella: wish I was watching that throw ball! Thx god for hurling!!!
@Phil O Stine: what did he do to get himself sent off.
@Brian: watch the game
@Phil O Stine: he got man of the match. I guess you are 1 of those blinkered bitter supporters.
@Brian: he should have been sent off in first few minutes . He went in on Davy Byrne with his elbow. Do you are right the refs can’t do the job
To be fair the second yellow card John small received should have been a red card
@Conor Brick: To be fair, you’re talking shyte, Murphy started the handbags and dragged him to the ground. What’s he meant to do?
@Ciarán: To be fair the first yellow Murphy received should have been red
@Conor Brick: Every second yellow is a red bud ….
I suppose the refs are playing to the letter of the law but between the club final and these few league games, congress could be looking at bringing in a ladies football or rugby style clock to reduce the amount of injury time