“Everybody wants to be the full forward, don’t they? That was me too.”
Even for a man who’d play 23 years at senior level as a goalkeeper, a man who’d win 19 county titles, six All-Ireland club titles and 16 Ulster medals with Armagh and Crossmaglen as a number one, he had to be convinced to play there.
That’s just the way it is and Paul Hearty’s no different.
Every club coach up and down the country surely has the same experiences in an almost cyclical basis just trying to get someone to stand in goals.
A lot of times you’re just looking for volunteers, anyone. On other occasions, you’re promising the actually talented young ‘keeper that his best position is between the sticks and you’re not just saying that so he’ll play there.
Most of the time though, you’ll have to broker a deal of some sort. You’ll have to offer anyone who does a half in nets the chance to play a half at full forward. Or, if you’re lucky, you can work out a guarantee with the good ‘keeper that he can play wherever the hell he likes for however long he likes… as long as he does nets in the championship.
Despite making the Crossmaglen senior side at 16, there was still a bit of an internal and external struggle taking place between Hearty and the number one jersey.
“I learned early enough that my place was in goals but I did play outfield, certainly when I was in the oldest bracket of underage teams,” the Armagh legend told The GAA Hour.
“I was the biggest and stronger than most of them, so I played out the field. When I was a year or two younger, I always played goalkeeper.
“Tim Gregory threw me in at an under-10 or an under-12 game and I had a bit of a stormer, saved everything, and that was it – that was the baptism.
“‘Oh, put him in goals,’ that was it from then on.”
That’s generally how it happens. Not only are clubs desperate for goalkeepers, but good ones are precious gems and anyone who even shows a bit of keenness, never mind a bit of talent, they’re going to be hounded to keep playing there.
“Every game [I tried to get back out of goals]. Every game!
“But it soon became apparent to me that goals was the spot for me and that’s how it turned out.”
Listen to his full interview below from 24:45.
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