John Fogarty is one of Ireland’s leading GAA journalists and can be found most days on the back pages of the Irish Examiner. When not there he is generally by the watercooler of a Monday morning!
1. How long did your hurling career last?
Wouldn’t describe it as a career but played it competitively for the guts of 12 years. Would have loved to have played on but work at the weekend dictated. Also came to the conclusion early I was doing the game more harm than good.
2. What age were you when it started/finished?
Started around 7 and finished up at 19. Great years playing for Scoil Treasa and St Anne’s.
3. Did you win any hurling honours?
Herald Cup (sub), Herald Cup (started), Community Games (bench). Two of the finals came in Croke Park so was delighted to get to “grace” the hallowed turf – although it was more hollow than hallow in the early Nineties. Anyone remember that dip in the Hogan/Davin corner where the teams used to come out?
4. What was your greatest moment on the hurling pitch?
Came in Gormanston, Co Meath of all places. A colleges game for Firhouse CC. Remember like it was yesterday. Long ball in… double the ball to the top right corner… like I was Nicky English doing a Phoenix From The Flames of his second goal against Antrim in the 1989 final. Funny, nobody else thought it was all that great.
5. Do you still pick up the stick every once in a while?
Had the pleasure of a puckaround with RTE’s Darren Frehill before the recent charity game in Croke Park. The least said about the football the better! Had intended going back hurling but again work takes priority.
6. Which hurlers do you most admire and why?
Henry Shefflin’s an obvious candidate for how he backs up his obvious talent with incredible commitment. First to training, what he does to improve his game when nobody’s watching. But Nicky English was my hero growing up. He had it all. Yeah, Nicky and Donie O’Connell. The father’s Tipperary influence is to blame for that.
7. Which club/county do you support?
St Anne’s hurling is non-existent so I always like to see Ballyboden St Enda’s doing well – and how they are. It’s a split between Dublin and Tipperary for county allegiances. Had a Tipp jersey before I had a Dublin one. The Premier is engrained in me.
8. What was the best match you ever attended?
The 2009 All-Ireland final. Last year’s final runs it close but the previous season’s decider was a better classic, for want of a better expression. Can’t forget the Waterford v Cork Munster final in 2004 either. You couldn’t keep your eyes off it.
9. Would you prefer a 65 into the wind and rain at Croker or a 12 foot putt at Augusta?
I’d say the 12-footer, just to play at Augusta, but give me the 65… at least my tears wouldn’t be seen in the rain!
10. An Oscar acceptance speech or a Liam McCarthy victory speech?
Liam, of course. You never remember who won an Oscar but images of All-Ireland winning captains tattoo the brain.
11. If you could play with any county team which would it be and why?
Has to be Cody’s Kilkenny or Sheedy’s Tipperary. You could measure yourself as a man trying to make one of those teams. Clare pioneered, Cork added even more but Kilkenny and Tipperary in the last few years have brought the game almost to its optimum level.
12. Have any of the skills you learned form hurling been of benefit to you in your current career?
People skills, no doubt. Being able to know what you’re writing about even if you haven’t hit the heights. A good dollop of humility too!
13. Who is going to win the Liam McCarthy in 2011?
I went with Tipp last year and think if they’ve got the right attitude they’ll retain it. New management will help but they have to want it just as bad if not more. Waterford are a close second. Kilkenny can’t be written off.
14. Who will win the U-21 Hurling Championship in your view?
Kilkenny’s minors have doing extremely well over the last few years. They might be able to translate it at the next level but Tipperary and Galway can’t be dismissed either.
15. Which radio presenter would you like on your hurling team?
Marty Morrissey – a mean goalkeeper and you only have to mention west Clare isn’t known for its hurling to get him going.
16. What is your favourite GAA ground?
Thurles. Nurtured on it. Was lifted, yes lifted, over many a turnstile in Tom Semple’s field.
17. Our website is called breakingthrough.ie. What was your break through moment?
Career-wise, Cathal Dervan taking a punt on an eager 18-year-old in the newspaper formerly known as Ireland on Sunday. Hurling-wise, the dad knowing the manager helped, or so one of my vanquished childhood friends/former team-mates told me!
18. Which hurling manager would you most liked to have played under?
Cody, just to see how much of the success Kilkenny have enjoyed is down to him. I’d imagine an incredible amount but would be fascinating to find out.
19. What was your best attribute/skill on the hurling pitch?
Could field a ball and knew where the goal was. A lumbersome Christy Heffernan wannabe, you might say.
20. What was the last hurling game you attended?
Wanted to get to the Tipp v Dublin challenge but couldn’t with other work commitments. The last one for me was Kilkenny v Offaly in the league – not all that memorable.
21. You are one point down in the All-Ireland final and you have just been awarded a penalty in the last play of the game…goal or point?
A quick nod to the bench to see what the bainisteoir wants. If I’m going down, he’s following. Safety in numbers, y’know!