Walsh, John
December 04, 1992
Wicklow keeper John Walsh.
John Walsh
A young sportsman with a very capable pair of hands
He has made the Wicklow number one jersey very much his own
Ever since the infamous ban on player participation in so-called foreign sports was lifted the Mister Versatilities of the GAA sport have never had it so good. From Moss Keane to Dinny Allen, from Kevin Moran to David Beggy, the list of players, born and reared primarily GAA folk, but who have gleaned an equally (if not greater) high profile in other codes, is nothing short of endless.
In the unique world of gaelic games, they don't come much more versatile than that particularly brave but much underrated species of net minders known collectively as goalkeepers. Few roles other than that of a referee in gaelic games can be as demanding, as thankless or as microscopic as that "enjoyed" by a team's last line of defence. Still, even in times of the hand pass goal and further back when they had about as much protection as grains of sand on a beach under the mid day sun, goalkeepers have invariably distinguished themselves en masse.
Though amateur in status, the sheer professionalism f top rank GAA goalkeepers over the years has been such that they, as a breed, have been head hunted to transfer allegiance, temporarily or permanently to other sports, examples being Paddy Cullen, Charlie Nelligan and John O'Leary to name but a few, all of whom have flirted in the GAA off season with League of Ireland soccer clubs. To that, much in demand, breed can be added one John Walsh, present custodian of the number one jersey pertaining to the Wicklow senior county team.
Everyone involved in the promotion of sport in Bray, Co. Wicklow couldn't have but been gladdened by the headlines in last weekend's Sunday papers which boasted of the work put in between the sticks by messr Walsh in his guise as a League of Ireland goalkeeper of late. The Finn Harps sometime number one was deemed to have had a 'blinder' in his adopted soccer team's 2-0 win over Monaghan United. Stepping in for the injured Declan McIntyre, 23 year old Walsh, in truth, is hardly apologetic about his 'foreign' fling but Wicklow GAA diehards can rest easy in the knowledge that Niall Rennicks very much remains first call on the services of the Bray Emmets GAA stalwart.
"I've always played some soccer, either with St. Fergals here in Bray, or with Saint Josephs in Dublin and then more recently with Finn Harps. At all times though whenever there's been a conflict of interest, gaelic football as always won out and it's what I intend to keep concentrating on," the self employed panel beater and paint sprayer reassured the Hogan Stand this week.
Ironically, the man with the safest hands in Wicklow has only recently completed his second full season under the watchful eyes of the Wicklow senior mentors. A badly broken arm suffered in the high summer season of soccer in 1990 in a local reserve match left him out of action in all spheres for nearly seven months. The fracture came at a particularly inopportune time for the goalkeeper cum full forward as he had just begun to consolidate his county senior place, less then a year after breaking through on to the first fifteen for Wicklow's Leinster Championship match against Longford in Aughrim in 1989.
Blessed with both the physical presence to lead the attack for Bray Emmets in the domestic league scene and with the natural talent to preserve one of the best 'blank sheet' records in the National Football League, the Drogheda-born player was forced to sit out the 1990/91 League quarter final match with Dublin before reclaiming his place for last year's Leinster Championship, edging out the reliable Baltinglass clubman Dan Leigh in the process. Despite some nagging back trouble, it's ben a case of Mister Ever present, alias John Walsh ever since.
Having arrived with his family in the seaside town via Dunleer, on apprenticeship in the rudiments of gaelic football and soccer was duly served by John and twin brother Niall at Saint Killian's Community School in Bray. The Walsh boys were quick learners and profited from the experience and guidance of teachers Martin Browne and Paul Connolly by winning Leinster Vocational Schools medals in 1987, with Wicklow in the company of other would-be county senior stalwarts Hugh Kenny, David Gordan, Brendan Brady and Thomas Donoghue.
Full forward on the Wicklow county minor team in the 1988 Leinster Championship semi final by a Vinny Murphy inspired Dublin team, John Walsh reserves the right to seek out a place outfield on the Wicklow senior team sometime in the future but for the moment, he's more than content to lead by example from the back. Whether he's allowed to remain in goals is a matter of conjecture given the nature of his midfield performances for Bray in recent seasons. "I'd be happy to play with Wicklow in any position on the field and although I have played outfield in a couple of friendly matches with the senior county team in the past, my fitness level wasn't that good," explained the media-friendly Wicklow custodian.
The holder of two county championship minor medals plus an under 21 winners medal (engineered by team mates such as David Cahill, Brendan Collins and twin brother Niall), John Walsh has little time for anything else other than concentrating on holding down his goalkeeping berth with Wicklow, he would have you know. Wicklow's strength in depth is what makes Walsh look ahead with increasing optimism. "I have to be at my best to hold on to my place in front of Rathnew's Tommy Murphy and the same sort of competition is evident in almost all of the positions on the team."
A product of the Larry Walsh school of coaching at underage level in Bray, John Walsh works hard at improving his capabilities in the nets. A keeper who insists on being heard by the defenders in front, he's a firm believer in the work ethic as laid down by the best goalkeepers there is around. "Catching and distribution can only be perfected with long hours of practice not on match days. In this area, clubs generally fall down on helping their goalkeepers improve their game. Thanks to Niall Rennicks, goalkeeping training routines are part and parcel of Wicklow training sessions."
Managed by Larry Walsh and Jim McCormack, Bray Emmets first string football team has been the conduit for Walsh's versatility for the last six seasons. For four of these years, the club's only county senior representative has figured on losing Bray junior championship semi final sides. The 1992 season was par for the course, the 'oul enemy Rathnew masquerading as spoilsports. The Bray defeat was one which went against the grain however. In a magnificent season for the Emmets, the junior league was captured after a campaign that saw Walsh and co run out as unbeaten champions.
Bray Emmets are now competing in Wicklow's intermediate league. Meanwhile, the club's second senior string are benefiting from their newly acquired status as a Dublin junior league side. "Tim Healy, our Chairman has done tremendous work in helping to provide much more football for everyone at the club. As a result of his efforts and others at the club in persuading the Dublin County Board to accept our B team into their leagues, a lot more players are getting a lot more games now. It's very important that that remains the case for the football club's own good."
With some fifteen soccer clubs operating within the Bray urban area, the competition for the hearts and minds of the local sports minded youngsters is keen, very keen. John Walsh believes that Bray Emmets hitherto losing battle in this regard is gradually being reversed. "The football club's league won this year and the intermediate hurling success two years ago by the club have combined to make the youngsters in the town sit up and take notice of Bray Emmets. The club administrators have also put in a lot of effort into making gaelic games much more attractive and they're succeeding in what they're trying to achieve. Some of the young fellas in Bray are now giving up soccer in favour of playing with us."
According to the Bray Emmets number one football operative, the advent of ex-Offaly star Liam O'Connor to Bray has been a real shot in the arm for the club. "Liam has been tremendous all year for us, both as a trainer and as the team's full forward. He's been instrumental really in elevating our ambitions on to a whole new level."
Backed by the local Ulster Bank, Bray Emmets are on a roll these days. Boasting of an average age of just 23, team veterans Jimmy Ganley, Matt Thompson, Rory McGarry plus the likes of Brian O'Keeffe, Paul Sweeney and John Lyons looks to be on a B line to success. It's a route which the affable Walsh has fixed his sights on too. An intermediate championship medal next year to go along with his hoped for B medal next Sunday. Although diagnosed an asthmatic just a couple of months ago, Wicklow's number one is determined to last the pace over what looks like being a whirlwind 92/93 season. Trained to beat the most difficult car panel into shape, John Walsh's hands are his passage to wealth and stardom. Few observers in Bray, Wicklow and beyond will doubt but that he'll leave the opposition breathless en route to achieving his goals.
Taken from Hogan Stand magazine
4th December 1992
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