Denis Walsh

Denis Walsh (born 22 January 1965 in Ballynoe, County Cork) is an Irish hurling manager and former dual player of Gaelic games.

He is a former manager of the Cork senior hurling team.

An effective dual player, Walsh had a successful playing career at club level with St Catherine's and Kildorrery and at inter-county level with Cork.

Denis Walsh was born in Ballynoe, County Cork in 1965.

He was educated at the local national school where he first played hurling and football.

Walsh later attended boarding school in Carrignavar where his sporting talents were further developed.

Walsh currently works as a self-employed financial adviser.

Walsh played his club hurling with St Catherine's and his club football with Kildorrery and experienced much success as a dual star.

He was a key member of both the Cork football and hurling teams throughout the 1980s and 1990s, winning All-Ireland, Munster and National League titles in both codes.

He first experienced victory with St Catherine's in 1983 when the club captured the Imokilly divisional title.

St Catherine's later represented the division in the county championship and defeated Aghabullogue, giving Walsh a county junior championship winners' medal.

He won a Munster medal at minor level in 1983 following a 1–11 to 1–15 defeat of Tipperary.

Walsh, however, didn't play in the subsequent All-Ireland final, a game which saw Derry emerge victorious by just two points.

Walsh later joined the Cork under-21 team where he enjoyed much more success.

In 1984 Walsh was a key member of the Imolkilly divisional football team that competed in the senior county championship.

St Finbarr's provided the opposition, however, Imokilly proved too strong and won the game by 1–14 to 2–7.

Not only was it Imokilly's first major triumph at senior level but the victory also gave Walsh a county senior championship title.

1985 saw him add a Munster medal to his collection in this grade following an eleven-point trouncing of Clare in the provincial final.

The subsequent All-Ireland final saw Walsh play at corner-back against Derry.

'The Rebels' avenged their defeat at minor level two years previously by beating Derry by 0–14 to 1–18.

It was Walsh's first All-Ireland winners' medal in the under-21 grade.

Two years later in 1986 Imokilly faced St Finbarr's again in the county final.

After a tense game Imokilly defeated 'the Barr's' by a solitary point, giving Walsh a second county winners' medal in three years.

In 1986 the Cork under-21 footballers continued their provincial dominance.

A narrow 0–8 to 0–7 win over Tipperary gave Walsh his second Munster winners' medal at under-21 level.

He later played in a second successive All-Ireland final with Offaly providing the opposition.

The game was a one-sided affair as the Cork team were the easy winners on a score line of 3–16 to 0–12.

It was Walsh's second consecutive All-Ireland under-21 medal and his last outing in that grade.

By this stage Walsh's hurling skills had been noticed by the Cork senior selectors.

After a drought of success 1994 proved to be a bumper year for Walsh at club level.

He won a North Cork junior 'A' football title with Kildorrery, before lining out with St Catherine's in the intermediate hurling county final.

Cloughduv provided the opposition, however, Walsh ended up on the winning side with a 3–12 to 2–11 score line.

After some relatively unsuccessful spells as manager of various club sides, Walsh took charge of the Waterford senior football team in 2001.

He left after two unsuccessful seasons.

In the twilight of his club career Walsh experienced success one final time in 2004.

St Catherine's reached the final of the premier intermediate championship.

Courcey Rovers provided the opposition, however, St Catherine's won the day with a 1–11 to 1–8 score line.

It was Walsh's second winners' medal in that grade and, with that, he retired from club hurling.

Walsh first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a footballer at underage levels for Cork.

Walsh emerged as a surprise contender for the vacant managerial position with the Cork senior hurling team and was duly appointed in March 2009.