Frankie Walsh

Infobox GAA player
code= Hurling
sport = Hurling


name = Frankie Walsh
irish = Prionsias Breathnach
fullname = Frankie Walsh
placeofbirth = Waterford
countryofbirth = Ireland
dob =
height =
nickname =
county = Waterford
province = Munster
club = Mount Sion
clposition = Forward
clubs = Mount Sion
clyears = 1955-1974
clapps(points) =
clcounty =
clprovince=
clallireland =
counties = Waterford
icposition = Centre-forward
icyears = 1956-1969
icapps(points) =
icprovince = 3
icallireland = 1
nhl = 1
clupdate =
icupdate =

Frankie Walsh (born 1936 in Waterford, Ireland) is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Mount Sion and with the Waterford senior inter-county team from 1956 until 1969. Walsh captained Waterford to the All-Ireland title in 1959.

Playing career

Club

Walsh played his club hurling with the famous Mount Sion club in Waterford. He joined the senior team at a time when the club was enjoying an unprecedented run of success. Walsh won eight county titles in-a-row with Mount Sion from 1954 unil 1961. The club was beaten in the county final of 1962, however,Walsh won a three-in-a-row in 1963, 1964 and 1965. He won further county honours in 1969 and 1972.

Inter-county

Walsh first came to prominence at inter-county level as a member of the Waterford minor hurling team, however, he had little success. He made his debut for the senior team in a tournament game against Kilkenny and later made his championship debut against Cork in 1956. Ironically, Walsh’s first championship game could easily have been his last as he received a fractured skull from a swinging hurley. He had to spend over a month in hospital, however, he made a great recovery and was able to line out with Waterford again in 1957. That year he captured his first Munster title following a victory over reigning champions Cork. Waterford later played Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, however, victory went to the men from Leinster on that occasion. The team would later come to rue this defeat as an All-Ireland title that they should have won. Waterford lost their provincial crown in 1958, however, the team bounced back in 1959 with Walsh, who was now captain of the side, collecting a second Munster title. Once again Waterford subsequently lined out in the championship decider and, once again, Kilkenny provided the opposition. The game ended in a draw, however, when the two sides met for the replay a few weeks later the men from Waterford made no mistake in defeating their near rivals and Walsh collected the Liam McCarthy Cup and a coveted All-Ireland medal. Four years later in 1963 Walsh added a National Hurling League medal to his collection before winning a third Munster title. For the third successive time Kilkenny turne dout to be Waterford’s opponents in the subsequent All-Ireland final, however, the men from the Decies were beaten on that occasion. Walsh continued his inter-county career until his retirement in 1969.

Provincial

Walsh also won Railway Cup honours with Munster in 1957, 1960 (as captain), 1961, 1963 and 1966.

Teams