GALWAY football star Shane Walsh’s desired transfer to Dublin’s top team has run into a potential big snag at a time when his own club Kilkerrin/Clonberne are cooling their opposition to the move.

Walsh, who lit up Croke Park with a terrific display in the Tribesmen’s narrow loss to Kerry in the All-Ireland Final, had sent shock waves through his native parish and beyond when indicating he was seeking a transfer to Kilmacud Crokes, the Dublin county champions.

Kilkerrin/Clonberne were initially hostile to Walsh’s intentions, but Club Chairman Ian Hynes has rowed back on earlier comments that they would be prepared “to fight” to keep their top player on board.

Now, however, Walsh’s planned transfer could be derailed by a GAA rule which prohibits a player switching club allegiance based on a third-level college course. The 29-year-old is currently living and studying in Dublin for a BA in physical education at the Portobello Institute.

Under GAA regulations, Walsh must prove the ‘permanent residence’ criteria as set out in the Official Guide and Higher Education does not qualify in terms of any proposed transfer. In a further twist, Walsh’s transfer request had still not been logged on the GAA’s online system as of Wednesday.

With a huge national media focus on Walsh’s attempt to join Kilmacud Crokes – a club with over 4,000 adult members compared to only around 70 in Kilkerrin/Clonberne – this tug-of-war over Galway’s highest profile player is untimely in the wake of the county’s championship exploits this year.

In a statement released earlier this week, Walsh said: “I’m living and studying in Dublin now, so it’s the right move for me at this point in my career. Kilmacud Crokes are a great club, and it would be a wonderful challenge.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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