Respectively, Richie Hogan and Bernard Brogan are two of the greatest to ever don their county's jersey.
In the records book, little separates the pair, they've both claimed seven All-Ireland titles, four All-Stars and players' of the year awards.
However, in his new book, Richie Hogan recalled how a WhatsApp blunder from Brogan ahead of the 2022 All-Ireland final led to a strange interaction between the pair.
At the time an injury-ridden Richie Hogan was reaching the end of his intercounty career but was still making immeasurable contributions to a Liam McCarthy-hunting Kilkenny side off the bench.
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Richie Hogan reveals gas interaction he had with Bernard Brogan
In an extract from Richie Hogan's new book Whatever it Takes, published in the Irish Independent, the former Kilkenny midfielder was recalling the lead-up to that final. Embarrassed to reveal that he was tirelessly training to add some value to his Kilkenny side, Hogan had been routinely answering questions about what he was up to by claiming that he was just playing 'a little bit of club hurling'.
While at the start such conversations assuming Hogan's retirement would 'sink his heart', as the season rolled on the veteran hurler became well used to it, using it to fuel his determination.
That was until a message from Bernard Brogan left the Kilkenny star wondering if he was the victim of a wind-up.
The Friday before the game, I got a WhatsApp from Bernard Brogan.
“You working at the game on Sunday? I have a Q&A in the Croke Park Hotel if you were around for 30 min pre-game?”
I had to look at the message a few times to see if it was a wind-up. As I read it again, I laughed. I thought, “I would love to see the look on this lad’s face when I come on the field on Sunday”.
I never replied. Better to let him sweat it out. Sure enough, he followed up with an apology for his ignorance a few weeks later and we both laughed about it.
While Brogan's mistake was an understandable one at the time, he must have gotten quite the shock when the man he'd texted days earlier made his introduction from the Hogan Stand and dispatched the sliotar through the uprights to put his name on the scoreboard.
Unfortunately for Richie Hogan, even his introduction from the bench proved in vain as John Kiely's machine like Limerick claimed the 2022 All-Ireland title.
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