Mayo GAA ratify Derek Walsh as senior hurling team manager
Mayo GAA has ratified Ballyhaunis native Derek Walsh as the county's senior hurling team manager for another two-year term.
Walsh led the Mayo senior hurlers to All-Ireland success in 2021 when his side defeated Tyrone 2-27 to 1-14 in the Nicky Rackard Cup final in Croke Park last July.
Brilliantly led by inspirational skipper Keith Higgins, the Mayo hurlers had a phenomenal year. They retained their Division 2B status, won the championship and collected three All-Star accolades along the way. Cathal Freeman, David Kenny and Keith Higgins were all named on the Champion 15 selection – made up of the best hurlers from the 2021 Christy Ring, Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher Cups. In addition, Higgins was named the Nicky Rackard Player of the Year for his outstanding contribution to Mayo's success.
Derek Walsh thanked the Mayo GAA board this week, saying he was looking forward to working with the new chairperson Seamus Touhy and the entire executive.
He commented: “Firstly, I would like to thank Mayo GAA for their continued support and also for their commitment to promoting hurling in the county. Last year two new adult teams in Ballina Stephenites and Caiseal Gaels competed in the Mayo GAA Junior Hurling Championship and hopefully we will have two more new hurling clubs this year, with Claremorris and Moytura stepping up to senior grade.
“Hurling is growing and developing all the time in Mayo and hopefully we can continue that progress now with the county senior hurling team,” commented Walsh.
Mayo will face formidable opposition in next year’s National Hurling League and in particular in the Christy Ring Championship, with the likes of Kildare, London and Sligo all making steady progress in their respective counties.
The upward trajectory of hurling in Mayo continues this weekend, with Tooreen Hurling Club competing in the Connacht GAA intermediate hurling championship final against Moycullen from Galway at 12.15 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday) at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan.
“I want to wish Tooreen all the best this weekend,” added Walsh. “It is a phenomenal achievement to have reached the Connacht intermediate hurling final again and it augurs well for everyone involved in Mayo hurling.”
Mayo GAA wished Derek and his backroom team all the best in the coming weeks and months.