Walter Walsh scores 1-3 in latest Kilkenny All-Ireland junior club title win

Tullogher-Rosbercon were too strong for Cork’s St Catherine’s in Croke Park this evening.

Tullogher-Rosbercon (Kilkenny) 2-21

St Catherine’s (Cork) 1-13

Paul Keane reports from Croke Park

A FAMILIAR 1-3 haul from Walter Walsh at Croke Park helped Tullogher Rosbercon capture the AIB All-Ireland club junior hurling championship title.

A full 15 years on since he came up short at this stage as a 17-year-old in the 2009 final, Kilkenny star Walsh made sure there was no repeat with a brilliant display.

In truth, the Kilkenny and Leinster champions were far too good for a St Catherine’s side managed by former Cork dual star and Rebels hurling manager Denis Walsh.

And Walsh was the man who inspired a brilliant first-half from Tullogher Rosbercon with a wonderful solo goal as they opened up an 11-point lead after just 20 minutes.

Rewind back a dozen years and Walsh memorably struck the exact same 1-3 tally on his debut for Kilkenny, helping the Cats to overcome Galway in that season’s All-Ireland final replay.

It was no great surprise that Tullogher Rosbercon put up another big score because they’d blasted 18 goals beforehand across the Leinster and All-Ireland series of games.

Marty Murphy hit the net again after just three minutes though it was Walsh’s 15th minute goal that really got the travelling Tullogher Rosbercon fans up on their feet.

He plucked a puck-out from the air before taking off on a thundering run through the centre of the St Catherine’s defence and rifling to the net.

#GAABEO 15 nóim @StCatherinesGAA 0-03 (3)@TullogherGAA 2-06 (12)

Cad é mar chúl ó Walter Walsh! Urchar!!

What a goal from Walter Walsh 😱🤩#GAA @GAA_BEO @KilkennyCLG

BEO/LIVE ar @TG4TV pic.twitter.com/aD9VeMPYFs
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) January 13, 2024

Tullogher Rosbercon weren’t flattered by their 2-14 to 0-9 interval lead with Cian O’Donoghue accounting for nine of those points.

One of O’Donoghue’s points came from a line ball and he added a 10th score in a more evenly contested second-half.

St Catherine’s badly needed a goal, or three, to stand any chance of reeling in Tullogher Rosbercon but the three-pointer they needed didn’t arrive until stoppage time when Rory Galvin blasted home from close range after a rare mistake in the opposing defence.

Tullogher Rosbercon are the 11th Kilkenny club to prevail at the grade.

Tullogher Rosbercon scorers: Cian O’Donoghue 0-10 (0-5f, 0-1 65, 0-1 s/l), Walter Walsh 1-3, Marty Murphy 1-1, Conor Hennessy 0-4, Jason Shiely 0-1, Colman O’Sullivan 0-1, Danny Glennon 0-1.

St Catherine’s scorers: Rory Galvin 1-1, Eoin Davis 0-4 (0-4f), Sean O’Donoghue 0-3 (0-3f), Brian Mulcahy 0-1, Kyle Wallace 0-1, Kian O’Donoghue 0-1, Oisin Fitzgerald 0-1, Conor Hegarty 0-1.

Tullogher-Rosbercon

1. Davy Walsh

2. Richard Gill, 3. Donncha O’Connor, 4. Sean Murray

5. Lar Murphy, 6. Pat Hartley, 7. Cathal Mooney

8. Jamie Lyng, 9. Colman O’Sullivan (captain)

10. Marty Murphy, 11. Walter Walsh, 12. Jason Shiely

13. Danny Glennon, 14. Conor Hennessy, 15. Cian O’Donoghue

Subs

19. Michael Handrick for Shiely (42)
20. Stephen Lawlor for Mooney (57)
18. Niall O’Shea for Gill (59)
17. Tony Conway for Murray (60)
24. Brian Walsh for Murphy (62)

St Catherine’s

1. Eoin Davis

4. Liam O’Connor, 3. Eoghan O’Riordan (captain), 2. Fionn O’Connell

7. Kieran Neville, 6. Oisin Fitzgerald, 5. Kian O’Donoghue

8. Kyle Wallace, 9. Shane Cotter

12. Sean O’Donoghue, 11. Rory Galvin, 10. William Leamy

13. Brian Mulcahy, 14. Eoin Condon, 15. Matthew Mulcahy