Hoggy was in great form.
As if giving up a six-point lead at the break to lose the All-Ireland final to Tipperary wasn’t enough, the Cork hurlers had to deal with sensational WhatsApp rumours of a half-time changing room fight.
At the centre of the rumours was talisman and the now-retired Patrick Horgan, who was alleged to have been shouted at by teammate Brian Hayes, with further murmurs of a bust-up back at the Burlington Hotel after the game.
This gossip has since been dispelled by players, with Horgan coming out with a brilliant quip to debunk the hearsay, which you can watch below in his interview with SportsJOE.
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Despite the truth of what happened, the tittle-tattle has done its damage and continues to linger, as Horgan explains: “It’s silly, and I feel like the more I’m even talking about it now, the more I feel like if you’re explaining you’re losing and no one is believing you anyway.
“Honestly, it couldn’t have been a more routine half-time. Nothing at all happened. I can’t remember one thing that happened.
“That’s the annoying thing, I’ll say it didn’t happen, but there is people that still believe it did.”
Nonetheless, it shouldn’t affect a side who are aiming for a first All-Ireland title since 2005.
The Glen Rovers man added: “Not so much, they’re strong fellas. And do you know what, a lot of them could not care less about that kind of stuff. They don’t look about what has been said about them or anything like that.
“That’s probably the best way to be. They’re strong minded and driven to be really good hurlers. And they won’t change from that, they won’t care.”
Patrick Horgan spoke with us with thanks to AIB, proud supporter of the GOAL Mile. Take part in the GOAL mile this Christmas.
