Patrick Horgan pictured at Croke Park as Centra announced an extension of their sponsorship of the All-Ireland GAA Hurling Senior Championship for another five years. As the longest serving sponsor of the competition, 2025 marks Centra’s 16th year sponsoring the All-Ireland GAA Hurling Senior Championship. Photo credit ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan
By John Harrington
Anyone waiting for Patrick Horgan to slow down would spend their time better doing pretty much anything else.
That much was obvious again in Cork’s demolition of Tipperary in the Allianz Hurling League final.
All the usual silky skilful touches were there as he slung over two classy points from play, nailed five frees, and brought team-mates into the play with his clever movement and vision.
But you couldn’t also help but be taken aback by the turn of pace he showed to consistently beat his marker Robert Doyle out to nicely angled deliveries into his corner.
Doyle was one of Tipperary’s best players in the League, a sticky, tenacious, man-marker with a serious turn of pace who had dominated every opponent he had come across until he was detailed to tag Horgan in the League Final.
You would have thought that the 36-year-old Horgan might struggle in a foot-race against him, but instead he usually won that duel.
Horgan is well used to people asking him has he lost his pace. Actions speak louder than any words he could summon to answer that question with.
“At this stage I don't mind,” says Horgan.
“It annoyed me for a while but I don't mind it now. If they think it's gone they can race me.
“It could go any day (laughs)! The way I'm listening to it, it could go any day! I'm waking up in the morning, thinking, I wonder is it gone?!
“Speed has nothing to do with hurling. There's a lot of other things that you can create space doing. Hurling is not down to one thing. It's not down to your strength, speed...your hurling skills obviously have to be top to play at the level we play at.
“Nothing after that. You can't just say he's gone because one thing is gone. There are so many things you have to be good at. If you're good at one and not good at the rest, you won't survive.
“Take soccer, the fastest player playing soccer is not the best. There's more to it than just raw speed or strength. The only thing that has to be (spot on) is hurling skills. After that, you can make up for other things around the place.
“But if your skill and touch isn't on. Then you start losing time and space. Then you find yourself in trouble. Once your hurling is sharp and tight, you'll find your way around the pitch every way.”
Patrick Horgan of Cork in action against Conor Leen of Clare during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final between Clare and Cork at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Horgan’s clever movement doesn’t just give him the yard of separation he needs to beat his marker to a ball.
He’s also a master at drifting into areas he knows the ball won’t go into order to give his colleagues in the Cork full-forward line, Brian Hayes and Alan Connolly, the space they need to make the most of their speed and strength.
One of the reasons Cork look like such a formidable team right now is because that full-forward line of Horgan, Hayes, and Connolly gives them a lethal attacking edge. As a combination their chemistry is something special.
“They're just all-rounders,” says Horgan of Hayes and Connolly. “There's nothing you can tie them down to. Their vision, strength, speed, they're on top of everything. They're real team players. They'd do anything to help the team and that's very important.
“Being on the same wavelength as fellas around you is the most important, all through the forward line and even back along the field, knowing what they want to try do.
“By looking at them, you want to have an understanding of what they want to do. We have that throughout the team and the panel now where all of us really get on well off the pitch.
“We spend a lot of time together and get on well off the pitch. That helps on the field, knowing someone a bit better and what they think in different situations.”
Cork are the most ruthless team in the country right now as Clare know only too well having shipped six goals against them in the League, but Horgan doesn’t think that result is all that relevant ahead of Sunday’s Munster first round clash.
Patrick Horgan of Cork looks for a pass from team-mate Brian Hayes during the Allianz Hurling League Division 1A match between Clare and Cork at Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg in Ennis, Clare. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile.
Instead he points to the form guide of recent championship encounters the teams have contested.
Including last year’s All-Ireland Final, Clare have come out on top on the last four occasions they’ve met, with the winning margin either one or two points.
“Every game seems to be a classic with them,” says Horgan. “High scoring, speedy players everywhere, tough players everywhere. That's throughout the whole championship.
“But yeah ourselves and Clare have served up a few good games down through the years. The next one will probably be no different.
“You come up against all different oppositions and styles, and they can obviously adapt to anything. They're a class side.”
