“We are going to fight this all the way” – Galway star Shane Walsh seeking transfer to Kilmacud Crokes

"We are absolutely devastated."

Less than a week after he lit up Croke Park in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, Shane Walsh is reportedly keen on a change of clubs. The 29-year-old, who scored nine points in Galway's 0-20 to 0-16 loss to Kerry, is looking to move from his local club Kilkerrin/Clonberne to Dublin club side Kilmacud Crokes. Walsh seeking to join up with a Kilmacud side that narrowly lost out on the club championship All-Ireland, earlier this year, was confirmed by Kilkerrin/Clonberne chairman Ian Hynes. "We are absolutely devastated," told The Irish Independent. "We have tried to persuade him to stay and nothing has been formally signed yet.

"We are going to fight this all the way. We recognise that Shane has given the club loyal service, but he is such an inspirational figure for all the young players coming through. Everybody here is in shock, particularly the juvenile players because he was such to hero to them."

[caption id="attachment_268474" align="aligncenter" width="1300"] Shane Walsh of Galway in action against Tom O'Sullivan, left, and Seán O'Shea of Kerry. (Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile)[/caption]

Shane Walsh on massive support he received from his club

Following that All-Ireland defeat to Kerry, Shane Walsh said Galway must drive on and get back to more finals in the coming years. He also spoke fondly of the support he got from his local club:

"I had a lovely send-off from my own club Kilkerrin/Clonberne on Saturday, before we left. The whole occasion on Sunday was fantastic, the homecoming, all of it. The colour, the support, the goodwill… if that doesn’t whet your appetite, I don’t know what will. We want to get back for more of that and hopefully go that extra bit and win it."

Ian Hynes says he believes 'it is wrong that a huge club like Kilmacud Crokes are allowed to do this' and that a Walsh move will hurt a club that are 'trying to keep the GAA alive in rural Ireland'. Kilkerrin/Clonberne compete in the Galway Intermediate club championship. Should the Shane Walsh transfer go through, the forward will be able to compete in the Dublin senior club championship with a Kilmacud side that have nine Dublin and five Leinster titles, as well as two All-Irelands. Walsh is studying to become a physical education teacher and is attending Hibernia Colleges in Dublin. Should the transfer go through, Walsh will be looking to stay on with the Galway footballers. Kilmacud Crokes have Dublin inter-county stars Paul Mannion and Rory O'Carroll on their panel, as well as Craig Dias, Shane Horan and Cian O'Connor.