Duggan, who is 27, is one of the finds of the year for Galway and produced a man of the match display in the Connacht Championship win over Mayo.

He suffered a wrist injury in club action for Annaghdown and will miss Sunday’s trip to Croke Park when Galway will be hoping for their first Championship win over Kerry since the 1965 All-Ireland final.

Duggan’s emergence this season is testimony to Walsh’s promise to try out players regardless of age or any other factor.

“We said from the start a few years ago that it didn’t matter what age a player was or whether his club was senior or junior or whether he had played underage or not, we would give everyone a chance.

Ciarán was in with us a few years ago for a while and has come back and been a huge success this year. It goes to show that players develop at various ages.

“It’s a pity he’s injured for Sunday because he had been going so well but hopefully he will back soon.

“We have a good squad and that’s needed given the demands of the new structure,” said Walsh.

Walsh has delivered Connacht titles in 2016 and this year and on Sunday will be sending Galway out in Championship football for the 18th time, with 11 wins, five losses and a draw chalked up so far.

Sunday’s clash at Croke Park will be the 22nd Championship meeting between the counties.

Kerry have won 12, Galway have triumphed six times and there have been three draws and an excited Walsh said that it should be a great clash between two strongholds of the game.

“We both have young, emerging sides who have been improving steadily and we are certainly looking forward to it,” said the two-time All-Ireland winner.