CAT'S GOT THE DREAM

Kilkenny great Walter to fufil a lifelong ambition by pulling on Leinster shirt after conversion back to rugby

- BY PAT NOLAN

WHEN Walter Walsh closed the door on his Kilkenny hurling career, he didn't expect the Leinster rugby one to swing open.

But the three-time All-Ireland winner is in line to make his debut for the province this weekend as the junior side start their interprovincial campaign against holders Ulster.

After announcing his retirement from inter-county hurling last November, Walsh resumed his rugby career following a 15-year hiatus as he linked up with New Ross RFC again.

The club's first team operates in Division 2A of the Leinster Junior League, three flights down from the AIL.

The Leinster junior selectors soon came calling and he's already played a couple of friendly games against the Defence Forces and Suttonians, with outside centre his preferred position.

"It's something completely different," he says. "I got to pull on a Leinster jersey and it's nice. It's something I always wanted to do, pull on the Leinster jersey.

"I've been playing rugby since I was five years of age. Obviously I had a 15-year break between when I was 18 and 33 last year, when I got to play again. I didn't think I'd ever get to put on one. But I did and that was nice for me.