Pádraig Walsh

Pádraig Walsh
Personal information
Irish name Pádraig Breathnach
Sport Hurling
Position half back
Born (1992-03-12) 12 March 1992
Tullaroan, County Kilkenny, Ireland
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Club(s)
Years Club
Tullaroan
Club titles
Kilkenny titles 0
Colleges(s)
Years College
University of Limerick
Inter-county(ies)*
Years County Apps (scores)
2012-present Kilkenny 10 (0-11)
Inter-county titles
Leinster titles 2
All-Irelands 2
NHL 1
All Stars 0
*Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 12:51, 6 July 2015.

Pádraig Walsh (born 12 March 1992) is an Irish hurler who plays as a right wing-back for the Kilkenny senior team.[1]

Born in Tullaroan, County Kilkenny, Walsh first excelled at hurling whilst at school in St. Kieran's College. He arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of seventeen when he first linked up with the Kilkenny minor team before later joining the under-21 side.[2] He joined the senior panel during the 2012 league. Since then Walsh has become a regular member of the starting fifteen and has won two All-Ireland medals, two Leinster medals and one National Hurling League medal.[3][4]

At club level Walsh plays with Tullaroan.

Walsh's grandfather, Paddy Grace, as well as his brother, Tommy, have also enjoyed All-Ireland success with Kilkenny. His sister, Grace, is a key member of the Kilkenny senior camogie team.[5]

Playing career

Colleges

During his schooling at St. Kieran's College in Kilkenny, Walsh established himself as a key member of the senior hurling team. In 2010 he won a Leinster medal following a 3-13 to 1-11 defeat of Dublin Colleges.[6] On 3 April 2010 St. Kieran's faced Ardscoil Rís in the All-Ireland decider. Walsh's side trailed by five points as the game entered the final quarter, however, St. Kieran's staged a magnificent comeback, hitting 1-5 without reply including a Michael Brennan goal in the 51st minute, to claim a 2-11 to 2-8 victory.[7] The victory gave Walsh a coveted All-Ireland medal.

Minor and under-21

Walsh first played for Kilkenny in 2009 when he joined the minor side. He played no part in Kilkenny's 1-19 to 0-11 trouncing of Wexford in the provincial decider, however, he was sprung from the bench in the subsequent All-Ireland decider against Galway. A devastating second quarter display was pivotal in powering Galway to a 2-15 to 2-11 victory.[8]

In 2010 Walsh was in his final year on the minor team. He won his first Leinster medal on the field of play that year following a 1-20 to 0-10 trouncing of Dublin.[9] The subsequent All-Ireland decider pitted Kilkenny against Clare. "The Cats" were made to work hard before securing a narrow 2-10 to 0-14 victory, giving Walsh a coveted All-Ireland medal.[10]

Two years later Walsh was a key member of the Kilkenny under-21 team. He won his sole Leinster medal that year following a 4-24 to 1-13 trouncing of Laois.[11] Kilkenny later faced Clare in the All-Ireland decider. A powerful second-half display, in which they outscored Kilkenny 1-10 to 0-4, saw Clare take their second ever All-Ireland under-21 crown.[12]

Senior

Walsh joined the Kilkenny senior team as a member of the extended panel in 2012. He later collected a National Hurling League medal as an unused substitute following a 3-21 to 0-16 demolition of old rivals Cork.[13]

During the 2013 league campaign Walsh became a more regular member of the team. He won a second consecutive league medal that year, albeit as an unused substitute once again, following a 2-17 to 0-20 defeat of Tipperary in the decider.[14] He later made his championship debut on 28 June 2013 in a 1-16 to 0-16 Leinster semi-final replay defeat by Dublin.[15]

Walsh won his first league medal on the field in 2014, as Kilkenny secured a narrow one-point 2-25 to 1-27 extra-time victory over Tipperary.[16] He subsequently secured his first Leinster medal, as a dominant Kilkenny display gave "the Cats" a 0-24 to 1-9 defeat of Dublin.[17] On 7 September 2014 Walsh lined out in his first All-Ireland decider with Tipperary providing the opposition. In what some consider to be the greatest game of all-time, the sides were level when Tipperary were awarded a controversial free. John O'Dwyer had the chance to win the game, however, his late free drifted wide resulting in a draw.[18] The replay on 27 September 2014 was also a close affair. Goals from brothers Richie and John Power inspired Kilkenny to a 2-17 to 2-14 victory.[19] It was Walsh' first All-Ireland medal.

Walsh won a second successive Leinster medal in 2015 following a 1-25 to 2-15 defeat of Galway in the provincial decider.[20]

Honours

Playing honours

St. Kieran's College
Kilkenny

References

  1. ↑ "Profile: Padraig Walsh". Kilkenny GAA website. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  2. ↑ Boyle, Donnchadh (28 November 2012). "It's a Walsh family affair as Padraig set for minor bow". Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  3. ↑ "Four debutantes in Kilkenny team". Hogan Stand website. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "8 rising stars to watch out for in this year’s Allianz hurling league". The Score website. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Cunningham, Kieran (20 November 2014). "A force of nature". Irish Daily Star. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "Walsh's goal key as Kieran's win the battle of Kilkenny". Evening Herald. 4 March 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Brennan's strike foils Ardscoil bid". Irish Independent. 4 April 2010. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  8. ↑ O'Toole, Fintan (7 September 2009). "Cummins inspires Galway to glory". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  9. ↑ Hickey, Paddy (5 July 2010). "Cats sweep Dubs aside to claim minor crown". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  10. ↑ O'Toole, Fintan (6 September 2010). "Kilkenny pushed to the limit". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  11. ↑ O'Brien, Brendan (12 July 2012). "Cats make Laois nightmare come true". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  12. ↑ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (17 September 2012). "Dynamic duo drive Clare to glory". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  13. ↑ O'Flynn, Diarmuid (7 May 2012). "Cats’ smash and grab". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Cats claim 16th National League title". RTÉ Sport. 5 May 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Historic win for Dublin over Kilkenny". RTÉ Sport. 29 June 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Reid fires over winners as Kilkenny edge out Tipp". RTÉ Sport. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Reid sparkles as Cats conquer Leinster". RTÉ Sport. 6 July 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "Kilkenny and Tipp finish level in classic final". RTÉ Sport. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  19. ↑ "Kilkenny too strong for Tipperary in All-Ireland final replay". RTÉ Sport. 27 September 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  20. ↑ Moynihan, Michael (6 July 2015). "Canning wondergoal not enough for Galway against Kilkenny". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 6 July 2015.
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