Patrick Horgan
By John Harrington
Patrick Horgan is turning a deaf ear to Cork hurling’s many doubters.
The talented forward knows he and his team-mates have been widely written off after a desperately disappointing 2016 season, but he sees no value in listening to the criticism.
“No-one really cares about what anyone else says outside our dressing-room because, if you listened to it, your head would be fried,” says Horgan.
"We just go in, three, four times a week to train and give it everything you have when you're there.
"Any fella that goes training and doesn't leave a better player, there's no point in going training. That's the kind of mind-set we have to get into - that we want to be better every day.”
Cork’s 2016 championship campaign was short and not so sweet. They were well-beaten in Munster by Tipperary, and then dumped out of the All-Ireland Qualifiers by Wexford.
That was the first time in 60 years they lost a championship match to the Slaneysiders, but Horgan believes the criticism that followed it was excessive.
He admits last year was a poor one for his and his team-mates, but also believes they should have some credit in the bank for the manner in which they’ve challenged for silverware in previous campaigns.
“I think...if you take away last year, which is a hard thing to do because we weren't impressive last year, I think before that, we were seriously competitive.
"We got to a few Munster finals, All-Ireland final, League finals, and they're not easy to get to because you've how many teams out there now that are really competitive.
"But I think last year was disappointing. Starting off this year, you try and forget about it really and try and improve ourselves.
"If we listen to everyone else, we'll only stay down.
"We'll have to get out of it ourselves and the only way you can do it is by training and going as hard as you can and, in every game, progress as a team."
Patrick Horgan
So far this year Cork have played three matches and won three in the Co-Op Superstores Munster Senior Hurling League.
Manager Terry Kingston has freshened up the team, and though it’s very early days yet it looks like there’s a positive vibe in the Cork camp.
"The slate was cleaned from last year, there was no-one entitled to be on the panel this year,” says Horgan.
"They put 35 together...it's our panel now and everyone deserves to be there. They're the best 35 in Cork.
"What we'll be working on is improving, every time we go training. Don't leave the training session unless you're a better player, that kind of way so.
"If you don't do that, you'll only lose ground to the other teams.
“It’s the start of the year and everyone is eager to get into it. There is a buzz at training and a sense fellas want to improve themselves. And if everyone can improve themselves that can only be good for us as a team and that’s all that matters at the end of the day.”
Bord Gáis Energy were yesterday announced as official sponsor of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship for the next three years. The sponsorship expands the company’s long standing association with the GAA as they also continue to sponsor the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Hurling U-21 All-Ireland Championship and the Bord Gáis Energy GAA Legends Tours at Croke Park.
The new sponsorship allows Bord Gáis Energy to develop even more great GAA rewards for customers all over the country who are members of the Bord Gáis Energy Rewards Club. This will include direct access to tickets for Senior Hurling Championship matches.
