Hogan profits from balanced approach

GAELIC GAMES:CLARE ARE capable of ruining top billing of a Richie Hogan versus Joe Canning Under-21 All-Ireland hurling final shootout, Antrim are not.

On Saturday next, Galway and Kilkenny are expected to book safe passages into the decider scheduled for September 12th or 13th. The match comes a week after the senior All-Ireland final, but the only person this suits is Kilkenny’s Richie Hogan.

They know all about this ridiculously-talented forward in hurling circles and he is revered on his own patch, but, just like team-mates Richie Power and TJ Reid, Hogan must serve a prolonged apprenticeship before attaining the sporting fame of, say, a Henry Shefflin or anyone of similar talent outside Kilkenny.

Despite a brief cameo recently, Nowlan Park training sessions are his beat these days.

“We have no under-21s starting,” explained the young man who is busting a gut for inclusion at senior level. “I’m the only person under-21 on the panel at the moment and we won the under-21 All-Ireland last year which probably suggests we’d have some on it this year, but sure that’s the way it goes.

“We’re lucky that we have a good team at the moment. Competition is there; everybody has a chance no matter what age you are. Whether you are 19 or 29 or 32, 3 or 4 it’s a matter of pushing those lads out of the way and getting in there ahead of everyone else.”

Soon his performances will become so emphatic that inclusion from the outset will be essential.

In the All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford on August 9th Shefflin needed attention on the line so Brian Cody propelled the stocky Hogan into the fray without a single stretch.

Immediately, he barrelled into two Waterford defenders attempting to gather clean ball. Then he was gone.

On 48 minutes, Cody put him in proper for Aidan Fogarty. TJ Reid, seemingly ahead of him in the queue, was already on for seven minutes. Hogan gathered a quick point, soaring in front of Waterford backs to pull the sliotar down with his hurley before belting it over the bar.

A few nights later he was back balancing senior and under-21 training sessions, waiting patiently for another chance.

“Last year I was nowhere near the team as regards starting, but I’m a bit closer this year. It was myself and TJ last year who were doing things together. Going training and then going back to the under-21s together. This year it is just myself.

“I go to all the under-21 training sessions, even when I’m not training – they are not on the same days – just to keep involved so when I do come back this week that I won’t feel like an outsider and I’ll know what’s going on.”

In the under-21 Leinster final defeat of Dublin he turned it on in fits and spurts, dropping deep in the second half to pick up ball.

Saturday in Navan against Antrim should simply be shooting practice – with the possible chance to go head-to-head with Canning a week on from winning another All-Ireland senior hurling medal, after maybe even featuring in the final.