Offaly's Walsh shows her soccer skills in Olympic village

Eve Conway

Published: Fri 9 Aug 2024, 3:26 PM

Last updated: Fri 9 Aug 2024, 10:13 PM

Offaly Olympian Gráinne Walsh was part of an Irish five-a-side football team that took on Cuba in the Olympic village yesterday.

A team of Irish boxers (including their head coach Zaur Antia) played a friendly game of five-a-side against the Cuban boxers in the sunshine in Paris, which Irish Olympic boxer Jack Marley posted to his Instagram.

Gráinne, who is a former Shamrock Rovers left-winger and Ireland U17 international, was the standout player!

Irish boxing's head coach, Zaur Anita, called her a "very special master of football."

Ireland and Cuba’s boxers didn’t meet in the ring in Paris so they’ve instead squared off in a game of five-a-side this morning.

Former Shamrock Rovers left-winger and Ireland U17 international Gráinne Walsh naturally looks the standout.

(Zaur Antia is a baller, too, btw). pic.twitter.com/ZCyrL1H3Gj
— Gavan Casey (@GavanCasey) August 8, 2024

The Irish boxing team is bringing home a medal from these Olympics, with Kellie Harrington retaining the gold medal she won in Tokyo three years ago.

Gráinne Walsh was disappointed to be eliminated from the games with a split decision points defeat in her opening bout, but the 28-year-old Tullamore woman vowed that she is "far from finished."