Galway expects as Walsh aims for All-Ireland destiny

Shane Walsh ended up on the losing side in the 2022 All-Ireland Final despite hitting 0-9 in a contest which turned into a remarkable scoring duel with Kerry's David Clifford

Shane Walsh's performance in the All-Ireland Football Final two years ago was one of the greatest ever seen in a Sam Maguire Cup decider.

The Galway man hit nine points - including four from play - but even that wasn't enough to land the man-of-the-match award as David Clifford's 0-8 haul contributed to Kerry's 0-20 to 0-16 triumph following the Kingdom's late burst of scores.

While the Tribesmen were beaten that day, Walsh's display suggested All-Ireland glory would be his eventual destiny - and sooner rather than later.

Two years on, Walsh is back in the showpiece decider as Galway to prepare to face Kieran McGeeney's Armagh but a lot has happened in the intervening period.

In the week after his sensational scoring duel with Clifford, Walsh caused some consternation in the ranks of home club Kilkerrin-Clonberne by switching to crack Dublin outfit Kilmacud Crokes amid the toll travelling back and forth to Galway for both county and club duty had begun to take on his body.

While Walsh soon helped Kilmacud achieve All-Ireland glory in the infamous '16th-man' club final victory over Derry side Glen, Galway's hopes of a long summer in search of Sam in 2023 didn't materialise.

While the Connacht title was retained, a damaging defeat by Armagh during the All-Ireland group stage - as the Orchard men avenged their penalty shootout defeat in the 2022 quarter-final - meant a last-12 meeting with bitter rivals Mayo, who edged a 1-10 to 0-12 win in a frantic Salthill contest.

Galway were out and after a summer when Walsh had largely been unable to scale the heights of the 2022.

Shane Walsh quickly won an All-Ireland Club medal after his switch to Kilmacud Crokes but Galway had a disappointing 2023 campaign as they were beaten by Mayo at the last-12 stage

Walsh regrouped from that inter-county disappointment to help Kilmacud retain their Dublin and Leinster titles.

However, their hopes of securing back-to-back Andy Merrigan Cups were dashed in early January when eventual champions Glen earned a revenge semi-final win in the Newry fog as Walsh missed a chance to bring the game into extra-time after his injury-time goal had left only one between the teams.

Since then, Walsh's inter-county campaign has been beset by hamstring and ankle injuries with his Football League action confined to the opening defeat by Mayo as he was ruled out for 12 weeks before his return to action began in the last-gasp Connacht semi-final win over Sligo when he came on in the third quarter.

Galway boss Padraic Joyce, again, didn't judge Walsh up to the rigours of starting the Connacht Final against Mayo but needs must and he was on the field by the 33rd minute, as his 0-3 total - including two scores from play - helped the Tribesmen edge a 0-16 to 0-15 win.

Walsh has started all Galway's five subsequent championship games which included him scoring 0-5 in their drawn Group Stage encounter with Armagh six weeks ago and firing 0-7, including three from play, in the shock 0-17 to 0-16 quarter-final victory over defending champions Dublin.

And while Walsh was substituted 10 minutes before the end against Donegal after struggled to get much change out of Eoghan Ban Gallagher, Joyce appears justified in his assessment that "Shane has been decent for us all year."

'Shane is doing fine' - Joyce

"He’s first action was the Connacht semi-final but he’s worked hard for the team," said Joyce at Galway's All-Ireland Final press afternoon last week.

"People expect Shane Walsh to kick the eight, nine points that he kicked in the final two years ago every day.

"He’s worked hard. He was very good in the Connacht Final when he came off the bench. He was really good against Derry. He was excellent against Dublin for us as well.

"The last day [against Donegal], he left with three, four points on the board and assisted a couple of score...he’s doing fine. He’ll be raring to go on Sunday week."

The Galway boss also rejected the suggestion that Walsh's All-Ireland heroics two years ago have burdened him with a weight of expectation almost impossible to match.

"We try to bring a work rate to the team that no matter how you’re playing, you are still contributing to the team.

"We know every day, you go out, you’re not going to shoot the lights out but once he’s doing his job for the team, which in my eyes he is doing, that’s enough."

Speaking following the semi-final win, Walsh played down any sense of Galway having any advantage over Armagh by dint of their final appearance two years ago and also preferred to focus on the team element rather than getting drawn into any discussion about his current form.

Galway have had several battles with Armagh in recent years including the 2022 All-Ireland quarter-final which the Tribesmen won on penalties

On the BBC's The GAA Social podcast 16 months ago, Walsh commented that he "knew" he was going to play well in the 2022 decider following pre-match sessions with Irish rugby great Ronan O'Gara organised for the Galway squad by manager Joyce.

"He [O'Gara] said in the game you have 70 minutes. That's your time. If you're there wondering what the celebrations are going to be like, what the defeat is going to be like, the game is going to pass you by. He said don't be that player that lets the game pass you by," recalled Walsh.

"That for me was really what I needed. I remember him saying it to me the night before the game. I used that.

"I came down to breakfast on the morning of the game and I was very relaxed and looking forward to the game rather than being in any way uptight.

"I remember our nutritionist, Sinead saying 'you're very relaxed. You look very happy'. I said 'it's an All-Ireland Final we're going out to play. Why wouldn't I be happy?'.

"I kind of knew myself I was going to perform."

Whether Walsh is in that kind of mental headspace to deliver similar kind of brilliance, we will find out on Sunday, with his physical conditioning likely to play a key role in that.

But if he does, Armagh are going to be in trouble.