CORK MIDFIELDER AIDAN Walsh has failed in his attempt to be declared eligible to line out for DCU in this year’s Sigerson Cup.
TheScore.ie has learned that a DRA hearing ruled against Walsh in his efforts to represent the third-level institution who face Queen’s University this afternoon.
Walsh, along with Donegal goalkeeper Michael Boyle, are high-profile casualties of a new ruling made by the GAA’s Higher Education Board last October.
That ruling stipulates that players have studied for six years or taken more than two colleges courses, are unable to play football or hurling at third level.
Walsh had previously enrolled in two courses in Cork IT and thus cannot play for DCU, which he has started attending this year to study a course in Physical Education and Biology with a view to go in to teaching.
Termon club man Boyle, the sub netminder during Donegal’s route to All-Ireland senior football glory last September, is similarly ineligible.
Boyle has an excellent track record in the Sigerson Cup having claimed winners medals in the 2010 final win over UCC and the 2012 decider victory against NUI Maynooth.
Walsh previously lined out for Cork IT in the Sigerson Cup but will now be unable to link up for DCU in the competition.
The reigning champions will still be able to call on a wealth of talent for today’s first round match in the DCU Sportsgrounds with Donegal’s Michael Murphy, Dublin’s Paul Flynn, Longford’s Michael Quinn and Galway’s Fiontain Ó Curraoin all on board.
Opponents Queen’s Univeristy have Derry’s James Kielt, Down’s Donal O’Hare and Jamie O’Reilly and the Armagh duo of Caolan Rafferty and Eugene McVerry all on board for a game which has a throw-in time of 2pm.
See TheScore.ie for a match report of the DCU Queen’s University Sigerson Cup clash later today.
