Shane Walsh was one of the heroes of Galway's All-Ireland quarter final defeat over Dublin, scoring 0-7 in a brilliant display.
Walsh had been an injury doubt coming into the game having been substituted early on in Galway's preliminary quarter final victory over Monaghan last weekend.
The forward pulled up a few times during the game and was eventually forced off after 65 minutes but that didn't stop him playing a starring role in Galway's win. Having John Small for company is no easy task but Walsh gave the Ballymun man-marker supremo a difficult time as he kicked three fine points from play.
After the game, Walsh told Galway Bay FM that the team and management had huge belief coming into the game.
"It's an unbelievable feeling," he told Jonathan Higgins.
"Padraic (Joyce) had told us all week he had huge belief in us. We had huge belief as well. We said let's show Dublin the strength of our squad as well," he said.
29 June 2024; Shane Walsh of Galway celebrates with his nephew Milo Costello after his side's victory in the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Dublin and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Dublin had started the brighter and led by 0-11 to 0-7 at half-time but inspired by the brilliance of Cillian McDaid and Dylan McHugh in particular, Galway defied the odds. Walsh said the team were determined to 'leave everything out there.'
"Padraic said at half-time we probably didn't play too well, but we stayed in the game, and that's a good sign of a team that we can stay in the game not playing well.
"We got moving then. We just said we're leaving everything out there today and if we leave our best out there, we're going to get over the line and that's how it turned out."
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Playing his club football as he does with Kilmacud Crokes, it inevitably made the occasion slightly different for Walsh as he came up against his club-mates like Paul Mannion.
Walsh said it was a 'nice element' and explained how Paul Mannion's dad wished him well after the game.
"Messages were funny coming in, lads were kind of saying 'hope you play well,' but there was no hoping you win, that kind of thing," he said.
"It's a nice element. I met up with a few of them there afterwards.
"Even Paul's dad, he said he was heartbroken, but obviously mixed emotions as well having gotten to know him a couple of years as well up there. It's tough. I'm sure Paul would be putting the arm around my shoulder if it was the other way around so it's my turn to do it."
As for the injury, Walsh indicated that he will 'be fine' for the All-Ireland semi-final in a fortnight's time.
"Be fine. All-Ireland semi-finals don't come around too often. We'll get there. We've a good medical team there. Everyone's looking after me in fairness so I can't complain."
