View source for Donnchadh Walsh

{{Short description|Kerry Gaelic footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox Gaelic Athletic Association player
| image = File:Donnchadh-walsh.png
| image_size = 200
| caption = Donnchadh Walsh in the Cromane GAA Club colours.
| name = Donnchadh Walsh
| irish = Donnchadh Breathnach
| nickname = 
| occupation = Physiotherapist
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|7|3|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Tralee]], [[Ireland]]
| height = {{convert|1.88|m|ftin|0|abbr=on}}
| sport = Gaelic football
| code = Football
| county = Kerry
| province = Munster
| club = [[Cromane GAA|Réalt na Mara, Cromane]]
| clyears = 2001–
| clposition = 
| colleges = [[Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland|RCSI]]
| clcounty = 
| clprovince = 
| clallireland = 
| counties = [[Kerry county football team|Kerry]]
| icyears = 2003–2018
| icposition = Left Half Forward
| icapps(points) = 52 (3-39)
| icprovince = 8
| icallireland = 3
| nfl = 2
| allstars = 1
| clupdate = 1
| icupdate = 
}}
'''Donnchadh Walsh''' (born 3 July 1984) is an Irish [[Gaelic football]]er. He is a midfielder and forward and plays for his local [[Cromane GAA|Cromane]] club, the [[Mid Kerry GAA|Mid Kerry]] divisional side and, formerly, at senior level for the [[Kerry county football team|Kerry county team]], which he played for from 2003 to 2018.

==Playing career==
===Minor===
Walsh was described as a 'star' and a 'teen sensation' for Kerry in the [[All-Ireland Minor Football Championship]].<ref name="findarticles.com">{{cite web|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20030302/ai_n12859095|title=Gaelic Football: Walsh Ready To Take a Big Step Up With Kerry|newspaper=Sunday Mirror|access-date=13 May 2012}} {{dead link|date=May 2012}}</ref> He won the [[Munster Minor Football Championship]] with Kerry in 2001<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/late-charge-gives-kerry-minor-title-26080343.html|title=MUNSTER MFC FINAL|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=15 July 2002|access-date=13 May 2012}}</ref> and 2002.<ref name="archives.tcm.ie">{{cite web|url=http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2002/08/29/story237.asp|title=The Kingdom – 2002/08/29: GAA: Royal shock for Kerry Minors|newspaper=The Kingdom|date=29 August 2002|access-date=13 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050518131805/http://archives.tcm.ie/thekingdom/2002/08/29/story237.asp|archive-date=18 May 2005}}</ref>

==Under 21==
He later moved on to the [[Kerry GAA|Kerry]] Under 21 team. He first played during the 2003 Munster championship, coming on as a sub during wins over [[Limerick GAA|Limerick]] and [[Tipperary GAA|Tipperary]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/year/2003/U21|title = Terrace Talk :: Kerry Football :: 2003 U21}}</ref>

===Inter-county===
====Early years====
He was first selected for the senior squad in 2003.<ref name="findarticles.com"/> Despite his status as a highly promising player,<ref name="archives.tcm.ie"/> Walsh did not make the breakthrough to [[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship]] football with Kerry until 2008. However, he was being tipped to feature for the Kerry seniors following an excellent 2007 season in the [[Kerry Senior Football Championship]] with Mid Kerry. He was also given his chance in the [[National Football League (Ireland) 2008|2008 National Football League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0316/mayo_kerry.html|title=Mayo 0–16 Kerry 1–12|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=16 March 2008|access-date=13 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080320044213/http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2008/0316/mayo_kerry.html|archive-date=20 March 2008}}</ref>

====2008–2013====
His first [[Munster Senior Football Championship]] game came in the final in July 2008. Walsh started and scored 1–1, but Cork defeated Kerry with a second-half comeback.

The following year, he won his first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal after Kerry beat Cork.

He was part of the team in 2011 when Kerry lost to Dublin in the All-Ireland final thanks to a brilliant match-winning point by Stephen Cluxton. This was to be the beginning of Dublin's dominance of Gaelic football.

In 2013, Walsh scored a goal past Cluxton in an epic All-Ireland semi-final between Kerry and Dublin in an eventual Dublin win.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/football/walsh-wont-stand-still-in-glory-quest-254020.html|title=Walsh won't stand still in glory quest|newspaper=Irish Examiner|first=JP|last=McCarthy|date=2 January 2014|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref>

====2014–2018====
In 2014, Kerry defied the odds to claim their 36th All-Ireland in a prolific year for the ''Kingdom'' with Walsh performing well throughout the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gaa.ie/football/news/donnchadh-walsh-retires-from-inter-county-football/|title=Donnchadh Walsh retires from inter-county football|publisher=Gaelic Athletic Association|first=Cian|last=O'Connell|date=21 September 2018|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref>

The one thing that had eluded Walsh was an All-Star and, in 2015, he was finally rewarded with the honour.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/dublin-and-kerry-win-big-at-gaa-all-stars-704471.html|title=Dublin and Kerry win big at GAA All Stars|newspaper=Irish Examiner|date=7 November 2015|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref>

In September 2018, Walsh announced his retirement from inter-county football. In his statement, he said: "The greatest honour I ever could’ve imagined has been pulling on the green and gold jersey but, as with all good things, it must come to an end. That end has arrived."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/0921/995172-donnchadh-walsh/|title='Machine-like' Donnchadh Walsh calls time on Kerry career|publisher=RTÉ Sport|date=21 September 2018|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Corry|url=https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/kerrys-underrated-star-donnchadh-walsh-retires-178130|title=Kerry's most underrated star Donnchadh Walsh retires at 34|website=JOE.ie|date=21 September 2018|access-date=21 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926213115/https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/kerrys-underrated-star-donnchadh-walsh-retires-178130|archive-date=26 September 2018}}</ref> Walsh was lauded for releasing his retirement statement on Cromane GAA's social media platforms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/cromane-gaa-club/donnchadh-walsh-i-am-retiring-from-kerry-inter-county-football-with-a-lifetime-o/1915802761828694/|title=Donnchadh Walsh: 'I am retiring from Kerry inter-county football with a lifetime of memories'|publisher=Cromane GAA Facebook|date=21 September 2018|access-date=22 September 2018}}</ref>

==Post-playing career==
In April 2021, Kerry hurling manager [[Fintan O'Connor]] announced that Walsh would act as lead physio for his team.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/donnchadh-walsh-returns-to-kerry-fold-as-senior-hurling-physio-40339691.html|title=Donnchadh Walsh returns to Kerry fold – as senior hurling physio|work=Irish Independent|date=21 April 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{2015 All Stars}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walsh, Donnchadh}}
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All Stars Awards winners (football)]]
[[Category:Cromane Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:Kerry county hurling team]]
[[Category:Kerry inter-county Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:UCC Gaelic footballers]]
[[Category:Winners of one All-Ireland medal (Gaelic football)]]