While there will be no shortage of motivation for Cork ahead of this weekend's All-Ireland final, the chance to get Patrick Horgan a first ever Celtic cross is something that will be in the thoughts of many in the county.
The Glen Rovers club man is one of the finest hurlers of the modern era, producing some remarkable displays for Cork down through the years. He is now in his 17th season as an inter-county player, experiencing plenty of ups and downs over that period.
Horgan is not short on individual accolades, winning four All-Stars and being second in the all-time championship scoring list (he has the opportunity to overtake TJ Reid's record this weekend). However, he is missing an All-Ireland medal to go along with his four provincial titles.
He will be hoping to finally get over that hump on Sunday afternoon.
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Patrick Horgan's Fanatical Approach Saw Him Banned From Cork Pitch
There is no doubting Patrick Horgan's commitment to Cork, with the 36-year old now having spent half of his life in the senior inter-county setup. His approach has changed somewhat over this period, especially when it comes to training.
Speaking ahead of the All-Ireland final, he recalled how his overly rigorous training methods at one point even saw him banned from the training pitch earlier in his career. He went on to mention how he will not let an All-Ireland ultimately define his time with Cork.
I was on the pitch at five, we were training at seven. Then we’d have a two-hour session; I’d be on the field four hours and I’d be worn out.
I was barred from the pitch and everything for a while. Remember the old Páirc, the two big red gates? They were just closed, not a hope. Barred out of the Glen field as well...
We started thinking differently about the game. The training routine then changed. So it’s not all about the time you put in, but the quality time...
Seventeen years of my life has been coming here, hanging out with the boys, new fellas coming in, getting to know them, becoming great friends with them. That means a lot to me.
Obviously, it’d be unbelievable if we could get across the line, but it can’t be just about that.
In your career, it’s lovely to get [success] and everybody wants to have it and I’m no different. But I’d look over a long time and did I enjoy it or didn’t I? And I did.
Cork have a long history of success in hurling, meaning it is quite the anomaly to see a player of Patrick Horgan's talents and longevity go without an All-Ireland medal.
They will be desperate to bring that streak to an end when they face Clare on Sunday.
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