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John Horgan - Cork's Majestic Corner Back

As a schoolboy and juvenile hurler, John Horgan playing with his local club Passage West, Co. Cork, had been earmarked by the club, then playing as a progressive senior hurling team, as an upcoming future star who had the capacity to pivot their defence for many years. Alas, in 1968 John made a switch of clubs to Blackrock, just a few miles upstream from Passage, and that move was rewarded with silverware and awards at club and county levels, that many hurlers would dearly aspire to achieve in their career.

As a natural born hurler in the Passage colours, he made the Cork minor hurling team in 1966 and 1967 and finished his Cork minor inter county career with Blackrock in 1968. In 1970 Cork senior selectors decided to launch his senior inter county hurling career. John now joined up with former Passage colleagues, the late Joe Murphy and the famous three goal, Eddie’O’ O’Brien. Ironically another Passage player and major Cork player of that era, Justin McCarthy, was recovering from a serious road accident in 1970 and unable to play with Cork. Instant success flowed for John in 1970 when Cork won the Liam McCarthy Cup and the National Hurling League, in John’s debut year.

The Texaco All Star Hurling award came his way in 1978, following three All Star awards in 1974/77/78. In 1979 the rebels were striving for a glorious four in-a-row All Ireland’s with John as captain, but Galway stood in their way at the semi final and blew away John’s aspirations. Great hurlers manage good and bad days to sustain motivation and John Horgan had motivation in abundance.

Club & County Roll Of Honour

4 All Ireland senior hurling medals: 1970; 1976; 1977; 1978.

2 All Ireland under 21 hurling medals: 1971; 1973.

2 All Ireland minor hurling medals: 1969; 1970.

3 All Ireland senior hurling club medals: 1972/74/79

1 Railway Cup hurling medal: 1981

2 National Hurling League medals: 1980; 1981.

3 All Star Awards hurling: 1974; 1977; 1978.

Texaco All Star Hurling Award: 1978

5 Cork county senior hurling medals: 1971; 1973; 1975; 1978; 1979   

Derry JF Doody