Seán Óg Ó hAilpín v John Horgan: Vote for Cork's best city hurlers
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.
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.
WHERE do you start with one of the most iconic GAA players of all time?
Unique in so far as he was not of Irish descent, being born in far-off Fiji before his parents arrived in Ireland and, as they say, the rest is now history.
He won every major honour that the game could offer, an outstanding Na Piarsaigh and Cork hurler, he was also a renowned Gaelic footballer, winning a Munster and national league medal with the county but it’s as a truly great hurler that he is best remembered.
Again, Seán Óg was one of those players who could fit in comfortably in a number of positions but it’s as a left wing-back that he played some of his finest hurling He was a product of the Gaelcholáiste section of the North Mon where he began his hurling career and was a key component of the school’s teams, winning a Harty and Croke Cup medals.
He is a fluent Irish speaker, probably more comfortable with that language and when he led Cork to All-Ireland glory in 2005, his after-match speech on the podium of the Hogan Stand captured the imagination of the entire country.
Na Piarsaigh was his club and his immense contribution to the great Northside home has remained immense and the pride that he has in that jersey has never diminished.
His two county senior medals in 1995 and 2004 are among his most cherished achievements and alongside John Gardiner and Tony O’Sullivan, he ranks as a true Piarsaigh great of which there have been so many down the years.
The Cork half-back line of the winning years of 2004 and 2005 was so often the launch pad for scores that made the difference between winning and losing.
Ó hAilpín was GPA hurler of the year in 2004, and Texaco Hurler of the Year in that year as well and to add further gloss, RTÉ named him as their star player as well. He has three All-Stars, in 2003, 2004 and 2005 to accompany a very lengthy list of honours collected in both codes.
One of the most popular players ever to line out for Cork, he has inspired so many youngsters to try and follow in his footsteps and he is now giving back to the club that gave him so much when he wore the Piarsaigh jersey.
With his playing days now long over, the very mention of his name still generates great excitement.
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.
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.
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