O’Donovan: We all want Walsh involved with Cork next season

THE message is clear: Cork want Kevin Walsh to stay on board for the 2024 season.

The former Galway and Sligo manager joined John Cleary’s set-up in November 2022 as senior football coach – and it’s proved to be a shrewd acquisition.

He is widely acknowledged as having a notable impact on the Rebels’ season of progress that saw them hold their own in the All-Ireland series while defeating both Mayo and Roscommon.

Cork GAA CEO Kevin O’Donovan has told this week’s Star Sport Podcast that Walsh has made a huge contribution to the management team and the intention is to keep the Galway man involved for next season.

‘Kevin was involved for this year and we’ll sit down and review it now, but certainly the players, the management and the county board all want Kevin Walsh involved next year,’ O’Donovan stated.

‘I would say Kevin is already thinking about next year and what we are going to do with the team.

‘He was a huge benefit and he would have been someone we would have shortlisted in the past for the senior job. Kevin would have been someone we always considered and talked about but it was John (Cleary) that went about it and brought him on board then so John deserves all the credit for that.

‘Kevin has worked the divisions. Having been with Sligo and Galway, he has a fierce grasp of Division 1 to Division 4 football. They’re insights that not many people in Cork would have. When we played Mayo and Roscommon, he knew them the same as Cork and Kerry know each other. There were huge benefits by getting someone in and then still having John as Cork manager of the team.’

On the impact Walsh has on teams former Mayo boss James Horan previously remarked: ‘He knows how to make a team as effective as possible and it’s probably what Cork need to solidify them, make them harder.’