Irish footballer sanctioned after positive drug test

Craig Walsh once had the chance to earn an Inter Milan contract.

Walsh, who played with Shelbourne last year and also had spells with Shamrock Rovers and Longford, has been flagged for an anti-doping violation. The 24-year-old Dubliner tested positive for a prohibited substance (a cocaine metabolite) in September of last year. In announcing the violation, this afternoon, Sport Ireland also confirmed that Walsh had his period of suspension reduced to 12 months. A statement from the sporting body reads:

'Sport Ireland and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) announced today that the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel has determined that Craig Walsh of Shelbourne FC has committed an anti-doping violation but reduced his period of ineligibility based on No Significant Fault or Negligence. 'Craig Walsh has been sanctioned, following an appeal, by a period of ineligibility of 12 months commencing on the 5th September 2015 – the date on which he was provisionally suspended. In a doping control test immediately following a match, he provided a sample which tested positive for the presence of a prohibited substance, Benzoylecgonine (a metabolite of cocaine). 'The hearings were held under Article 8 (Disciplinary Process) and Article 13 (Appeals) of the Irish Anti-Doping Rules and this announcement is made pursuant to Article 15 (Public Disclosure) of the Rules.'

Walsh made it to the final of Football's Next Star, a Sky reality TV show, in 2010. He impressed former England and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp but was eliminated in the final.