Tommy Walsh has been kept on such a tight leash from Kerry manager Eamonn Fitzmaurice that it looks like it might backfire.
The talented footballers has found game-time hard to come by since his return from Australia last year, and despite an impressive cameo against Kildare in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final. It looks like this has prompted Walsh to quit the Kerry panel, after Valentia newcomer Brendan O'Sullivan getting more gametime than Walsh.
Walsh was a star of Kerry's 2009 All-Ireland success, but his frustration with not playing means he won't be part of Fitzmaurice's panel this summer.
Tommy Walsh withdraws from @Kerry_Official football panel. Sometimes, for some reason, things don't work out as we thought they would.
— Tony Leen (@tonyleen) April 28, 2016
If Tommy Walsh has left the Kerry panel it's a sad day he gave it his all & respect to him for not wanting to warm a bench for the summer
— Sylvester Hennessy (@Slyone1069) April 28, 2016
Kerry's panel will no doubt be worse off without someone of Walsh's quality - but it's a testament to their depth that it won't be as big a blow as it might have been for other counties.
[Irish Examiner]
See Also: The Balls.ie Photo Tribute To Kerry GAA Fans
Picture credit: Diarmuid Greene / SPORTSFILE