As Tullaroan prepares for the Senior Hurling League Final on Sunday, star player Shane Walsh reflects on the incredible journey the team has been on and the significance of securing another league title.
“We have one league title, and it would be unbelievable to get a second one, like genuinely,” says Walsh, eager to build on the team’s recent success. Tullaroan’s rise through the ranks has been remarkable, with Walsh proudly noting his personal journey from junior to intermediate and senior levels, winning major honors along the way.
“I was an adult, I won a junior, we won the intermediate, and we won a senior league. It’s crazy because I’d say that the legends we grew up with, like Stevie Maher, might only have one medal. So, we have three medals,” Walsh reflects, marveling at the team’s collective achievements. For Tullaroan, the chance to claim yet another title in Sunday’s league final against O’Loughlin Gaels at 2 PM in UPMC Nowlan Park is a powerful motivator.
“We can get another one next weekend in the league final,” Walsh adds. “We’d be buzzing to get one. Losing is not an option.”
The Senior Hurling League Final is just one of several key matchups this weekend. Saturday’s action kicks off with Bennettsbridge facing Clara at 1:30 PM in Thomastown, followed by a relegation semi-final between Erins Own and Glenmore at 4 PM in Pairc Sheamuis Stiophan.
Sunday sees Mullinavat take on Thomastown in the Senior Hurling Shield Final at 12 PM in UPMC Nowlan Park. Meanwhile, Dicksboro will clash with Graigue Ballycallan at 1:30 PM in Páirc Lachtain before the spotlight turns to Tullaroan’s showdown with O’Loughlin Gaels. The weekend wraps up with a high-stakes relegation semi-final between James Stephens and Shamrocks Ballyhale at 4 PM in John Locke Park.
For Walsh and his teammates, the upcoming final represents not just another shot at silverware but an opportunity to further cement their legacy within the storied tradition of Tullaroan hurling. A second league title would indeed be “unbelievable,” but for Walsh, it’s a goal well within reach.
