Cork dual star Aidan Walsh has confirmed he is to withdraw from the Cork senior football panel and focus exclusively on playing for the county's hurling team in 2015.
Walsh, who has been a member of the Cork senior football team for the past five years and won an All-Ireland medal in 2010, had indicated earlier this year that he was going to chose one code.
Now the Kanturk club man has confirmed to Cork's 96FM that he has informed Cork coaches Jimmy Barry-Murphy and Brian Cuthbert of his intention to concentrate on hurling in the coming year.
Walsh (24) - who joined Barry-Murphy's hurling squad this year and won a Munster hurling medal when Cork defeated Limerick - said it wasn't an easy decision to make.
“I came to the decision that I would concentrate on the hurling this year - I’ve been with the footballers over the last few years and this year I played with both teams,” said Walsh.
“I just feel that I could prove something with the hurling in the coming year and I said to myself if I give 100 per cent to the hurling, I can see what could happen so I decided to go with the hurling.”
Walsh - who has just been selected by coach Dermot Earley to be vice-captain on the International Compromise Rules team - said he will miss the camaraderie of the football set up.
“Definitely, it was very hard decision - I know all the lads on the football panel and I’ve become great friends with them over the last few years so that made the decision really tough,” he said.
“I’ve been nearly all over the world with those lads and thinking about not playing with them over the coming year was very hard, but I was with the hurlers this year and really enjoyed it.
"Things went very well in the Munster championship but I suppose that game against Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final was one of those days when things didn't go right for us
“I said after that day that I didn’t want to leave it like that - hopefully I will get the opportunity in 2015 to put up a better display - I’m looking forward to giving 100 per cent to the hurling next year.
“It’s going to be a real challenge but one that I’m looking forward and hopefully Jimmy if he gives me the opportunity to get out on the field, I will take it,” he told host Finbarr McCarthy.
