Prolific Cork forward Patrick Horgan in Allianz Hurling League action. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Niall McCabe
If Cork sharpshooter Patrick Horgan scores at least five points against Clare this Sunday, he will become the all-time leading scorer in the Allianz League and etch his name even deeper in hurling history.
The Glen Rovers club man’s league tally, according to GAA record keeper Padraig Ferguson, currently sits at 25 goals and 661 points for a total of 736 points, four behind Kilkenny legend Eddie Keher’s long-standing total of 72 goals and 524 points. With another haul against the Banner this weekend, he will tick another box in a career already laden with scoring accolades.
At 36 years old, Horgan has undoubtedly cemented himself as one of the greatest marksmen the game has seen. The veteran forward is already the Championship’s all-time top scorer, having amassed an astonishing 29 goals and 629 points over his career. Hurling fans across the country eagerly anticipate another summer watching Horgan and TJ Reid battle it out for the Championship top scorer crown.
Horgan’s inter-county journey began over 16 years ago when he made his debut for Cork in the Allianz Hurling League in 2008, scoring in a victory over Dublin. Later that summer, he made his Munster Championship debut as a substitute against Tipperary before earning his first championship start in an All-Ireland quarter-final win over Clare. Even from the early days, it was clear that ‘Hoggie’ was destined for a long career in red.
And now, another record beckons. A five-point tally will take him to the summit of Allianz League scoring history—another achievement for his already decorated CV. Whether it happens this weekend or later on in the campaign or not at all, one thing is certain: Patrick Horgan’s hurling legacy is already assured.
