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Galway's Shane Walsh. Laszlo Geczo/INPHO
On the Move

Shane Walsh: 'For me this is a personal decision, I'm hoping it prolongs my career'

The Galway star was speaking to Off The Ball about his proposed club transfer to Dublin’s Kilmacud Crokes.

GALWAY STAR SHANE Walsh believes his application to transfer to Dublin club Kilmacud Crokes can help prolong his career.

Walsh, who lit up the recent All-Ireland senior football final as he struck 0-9 in Galway’s defeat to Kerry, has spoken about the club transfer he has applied for from his native Kilkerrin-Clonberne to last year’s Dublin and Leinster senior club champions.

Walsh, who was speaking to Off The Ball, cited the strain of travel to fulfil his Gaelic football commitments and recent injury concerns as influencing his decision to attempt to move.

“It’s circumstantial, the fact probably that I’m not 21 years of age any more and kind of flying around the place, that was probably a big part of me moving up to Dublin, going back to college and that.

“It didn’t probably stem until around February, March time, I started to pick up a couple niggles around my hips and my back. It was starting to take the enjoyment out of it. I was coming up and sometimes I wasn’t able to train. There’s nothing worse, you’re driving two and a half hours down the road and then you’re tight and not able to train and you’re getting physio and coming back up again.

“For me, anyone that knows me knows I love playing football. That’s what it’s all about for me. I want to play football for as long as I can. For me this is a personal decision, I’m hoping it prolongs my career, shortening the travel distance for the period I’m up in Dublin. But as I said, I’ll be back down to Kilkerrin-Clonberne in the future.

“We’re a small club, numbers in rural areas are dwindling as well, so it is tough going. It’s the travelling that no one kind of sees. Everyone sees you out playing, you don’t really see the work that goes in behind. There’s so much work that goes in when you’re trying to train and prepare. Commitment is a big thing for me. When you’re there, you have to be there. Just for me I wouldn’t enjoy, if I’m getting injured and not playing, what good am I to anyone?”

There has been uncertainty over whether Walsh’s transfer will get the green light.

“I’m not great on the technical side but look yeah there’s a process going on at the moment,” said the forward.

“That’s where it’s at.”

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