Thomas Egan eager to push on after breakthrough year with St Finbarr’s

St Finbarr’s midfielder Thomas Egan says last season will live long in the memory, not only because the Barrs won the McCarthy Insurance Group Premier SFC, but because it was the year he made his breakthrough.

His championship debut arrived in the Munster semi-final against Éire Óg of Ennis at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, a moment he describes as a milestone for both himself and his family.

Standing at well over 6ft 5in, Egan has the physical presence to dominate midfield, but the emotion of that day was pride. 

Looking back on his debut, he recalls the sense of occasion clearly.

“Yeah, it was a great honour,” he says.

“Playing down the Páirc in a big stadium, and then playing for the Barrs in such a big game… we got the win so I was happy.

“My family was there, all the club people, my friends — it was all good. 

"My family has been involved with the Barrs for ages as well. I’ve been playing since I was young, so it was always a big moment I was looking forward to.

“It was an honour, obviously, and I was happy to come on. The experience gave me confidence that I was progressing the right way. Hopefully I can keep going like that.” 

Egan’s rise has been steady, shaped by underage success and his time on the Cork U20 football panel this year, which helped sharpen his game.

“I just want to win, and I love playing with my friends,” he states.

“The Barrs have a lot of history, so I want to add to that. Hopefully I can do more in the future.

“For the young lads especially, it’s about getting game time. I got a lot of game time last year and that helped me.

“It’s all about building towards championship. We want to be in a decent place before championship.” 

Egan highlights the strength of the panel as a major factor in last year’s success as St Finbarr’s won the county for the first time since 2021.

“The bench had a big impact. You had the likes of Luke Hannigan coming off the bench and then you had Cillian Myers-Murray — he scored the point to win the final. So the bench was a big talking point. Hopefully we can repeat that this year.

“When you see people coming on, you keep going because you know there’s a chance you might get on.

“I got lucky last year, and I was happy. You see all the kids celebrating, and you’re trying to make them happy. I was one of them once, so it’s good to be here now.” 

With the championship campaign not far around the corner, St Finbarr’s are in a positive enough position in the McCarthy Insurance Group Division 1 Football League. In their championship group, they face Douglas, Carrigaline and Mallow.

“The county win feels like yesterday. The aim is to play football and get ready for championship. It's as simple as that.”