WALTER WALSH expects TJ Reid to be back in black and amber in 2025.
Kilkenny stalwart Reid, 37, has been overtaken by Cork’s Patrick Horgan in the battle to be Championship hurling’s all-time top scorer.
But his former Cats team-mate would be ‘very surprised’ if the seven-time All-Star opts not to return for a 19th senior season.
Walsh, who is an ambassador for the GOAL Mile, said: “TJ has more to offer. As long as Pat Horgan goes, TJ Reid will go anyway – that’s one thing for sure.
“I can only imagine TJ will go back. He’s still one of the best players in Ireland. I can’t see why he’d retire. Hurling is a game of skill and TJ has it in abundance.”
Three-time All-Ireland winner Walsh is one seasoned campaigner that Kilkenny boss Derek Lyng will not be able to call upon next season.
Speaking for the first time since announcing his retirement, he said: “It would have been great to win another before I finished because the last four All-Irelands I played in, we were defeated and you’d be kind of wishing that we’d get another one before you retired.
“But then you have to be extremely grateful to have won three as well. It’s so difficult to win an All-Ireland.”
