WITH your help, we’re looking to pick the best hurler from either side of St Patrick's Bridge from the last 50 years of action.

The Echo has pitched some of Cork’s finest hurling stars from the northside and southside of Cork city together for a series of fun head-to-head battles. Your votes will decide who goes through and you can see the full list of 16 northside and 16 southside players here.

Today's match-up is Pat Horgan v John Horgan.

PAT HORGAN (Glen Rovers):

LONG before current great Patrick Horgan came to prominence, another Glen Rovers player of the same name was making his mark in the club and inter-county jersey.

A hugely versatile player, his career with the Glen spanned 18 years and during that time he won two county senior titles, one Munster club title and one All-Ireland club title.

He was another of those players who was equally proficient in a defensive or offensive position, at home at centre-back or centre-forward. Horgan won a Munster senior medal in the centenary year of 1984 but he did not feature in the final against Offaly However, he was twice recognised by the All-Stars selection committee, well-deserved recognition for his prowess as a hugely competent hurler. He won All-Ireland honours at minor, U21 and senior and the crowning glory arrived in 1977 when the Glen won the All-Ireland club title.

Horgan was a commanding presence in whatever position that he filled and you could say that he was often the unsung hero. 

The Glen did not win a county between the years 1976 to 1989, a lengthy period for such a renowned club and that obviously limited Horgan’s chances of adding to his medals haul on the club front.

But that should not diminish the contribution that he made to the famed jersey and little did we know that a player of the same Christian and surname would follow in his illustrious footsteps years later.

It must be noted too that he played minor hurling with the county three years on the trot, quite a unique feat but at that early age he was being pencilled in as a future star.

Horgan certainly lived up to that potential and his great versatility certainly stood him out. Those county title wins of 1976 and 1989 were notable for the fact that in 1976 he lined out at wing-forward in one and centre-back in the latter triumph.

Through the ages, the famed Blackpool club has had an endless list of great hurlers that they cherish, Pat Horgan is among them.

JOHN HORGAN (Blackrock):

AS much as stardom is forged by high performance on the biggest stage, the true stars are those who can do it in all weathers.

In 1971, Blackrock were without a county SHC title in a decade and came up against St Finbarr’s in the final. Captaining the Rockies that day was John Horgan and, as clubman Tom O’Sullivan remembers, he led by example in a 2-19 to 5-4 win.

“John was a rock that day,” he said, “Absolutely fantastic. He really played a captain’s role. That to me was his biggest test, and he really stood up for us.” 

Horgan, who sadly died in 2016, had a cluttered sideboard, beginning with an All-Ireland minor hurling medal in 1967 and back-to-back U21 titles in 1970 and 1971. By that stage, he had already been part of the 1970 All-Ireland and league double, though the following years proved difficult for him at inter-county level – disappointment was eased as Blackrock claimed the 1971 and 1973 county titles, going on to Munster and All-Ireland glory in each case.

He was named as Cork captain in 1974 and, though Limerick won Munster that year, Horgan won his first All-Star. The Rebels were about to embark on a run of five successive provincial titles, with the All-Ireland won in 1976, 1977 and 1978. 

With the fair hair that gave him the nickname ‘Blondie’, Horgan was hard to miss, but the fact that he was a free-taking corner-back also gave him an extra element. 

Four points in the 0-13 to 0-11 win over Clare in the 1978 Munster final were absolutely crucial, given that the Banner were considered a coming team after national league victories.

Horgan finished that year as the winner of the Texaco Hurler of The Year Award while he picked up a third All-Star, having also been honoured in 1977. Team-mate Denis Coughlan was in no doubt as to Horgan’s importance.

"He fitted in very well with that Cork team,” he said, "he was a shy man but got on well with everybody and was held in very high regard, not surprisingly with his record." 

With Blackrock having added county titles in 1975 and 1978, Ray Cummins was named captain in 1976 before Horgan was again bestowed with the honour for 1979. Though the Munster five-in-a-row was won, Galway ended the hopes of adding a fourth straight All-Ireland.

Nevertheless, that year – which began with a third club All-Ireland medal, Horgan as captain – also saw him win a fifth and final county medal with the Rockies as well as another Munster medal. Later, as a coach, he took Blackrock to the county final of 1982, losing to a superb St Finbarr’s performance, while he guided Castlelyons to the semi-finals of 2001, where they lost to the eventual champions, the Rockies.