Cork forward Paul Walsh: Childhood memories fuel drive for Munster final clash with Kerry

Cork’s return to a Munster final for the first time in five years came with a 15-point winning margin, but the scoreline told only part of the story of a semi-final that asked questions of them for long stretches.

Their 4-18 to 1-12 victory over Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium last Saturday afternoon was ultimately emphatic. 

Reflecting afterwards, Cork forward Paul Walsh admitted that the game never felt comfortable until well into the second half. 

“We came here wanting to make the Munster final,” he said. 

“From that point of view, it’s job done, but there’s plenty of work to do as well. We’ll drive on now.

“We’ve had a solid start to the year and a lot of our focus has been on ourselves. We’ve taken it one game at a time — Limerick two weeks ago, Tipperary today — and now the next team up is Kerry. 

"We know what’s ahead of us over the next two weeks as we build towards the final.” 

If Cork’s second-half surge was impressive, their first-half display was anything but. Walsh was quick to credit Tipperary for the problems they posed.

“To be honest, I thought Tipperary were very, very good,” he says.

“They set up well, they got plenty of bodies back, and they had a few dangerous forwards inside that caused us hassle. I wouldn’t say it was necessarily that we were flat.

“We came away with nothing from those early attacks, and that probably added to what was going on. But we’ve an experienced dressing room. There was no roaring or shouting at half-time. We knew ourselves what needed to be done.

“There was no waiting for John Cleary to come in and give us a kick. We’ve been in situations like this before. It was just a matter of weathering the storm, sticking to the process, and knowing it would come right if we kept doing the right things.” 

Cork really motored in the second 35 minutes as they showed their quality. It’s probably a good place to be — a 15-point win with still plenty to work on.

“No matter who you’re playing, you have to be at your best at all times,” Walsh states.

“There was a period in the second half where everyone just performed and we built up a strong lead.

“Also, kick-out presses are huge now. Every county is going after them. Momentum swings so quickly, and if you can break that momentum or get bodies around the breaks, it makes a massive difference. Any 50-50 ball you can come out on top of is a big factor.” 

The challenge now is to marry the best of both halves into a complete performance. Walsh acknowledged that Cork have shown flashes of their potential in recent weeks but have yet to produce a full 70-minute display.

“Ideally, we’d be able to marry the two of them for the next day. That’s the plan for the next two weeks to work on that.

“Munster finals are a great occasion. These are the days you think about when you’re training in November and December — dark nights, bad weather, running around the field. These are the days you put in that effort for.” 

For Walsh personally, it will be his first time involved in a Munster final against Kerry in Killarney. 

It's 1995 since the Rebels last won down there in the championship. Walsh was born in 1997, so he hasn't seen a Cork victory in the championship in Killarney.

“My family have always had a strong interest in Cork football. I remember going to Munster finals when I was younger. They were always big days. I’m really looking forward to being involved in one now.”