Former Kilkenny hurler Richie Hogan has claimed that he couldn't compete with the demands of inter-county hurling because age had finally caught up with him.
Hogan is recognized as one of the greatest hurlers of his generation and was part of the Kilkenny side that conquered the hurling scene under Brian Cody.
The midfielder won Hurler of the Year in 2014, seven All-Ireland titles, 11 Leinster championships, five Allianz Hurling League medals, and four All-Star awards during his spell with the Cats.
After a long and decorated career, Hogan decided to call time on his tenure with Kilkenny last year.
Speaking this week at the launch of the 2024 Electric Ireland GAA Minor Championships, Hogan admitted that he didn't have the energy to compete at the inter-county level.
“I ran out of juice a couple of years ago, but still tried to get as much as I possibly could out of it,” Hogan said.
“In that sense, I think if I had packed it in at 32 when the body was breaking down, I'd have missed it a lot more. For now, I'm fairly content. I couldn't play inter-county hurling now.
“Even at club level, training is enough. The thought of reaching inter-county level, the level these guys are currently at, is a million miles from where I am.
“That is what I look at. We'd all love to be out playing on the pitch; everybody would. I'm mature enough to know what it takes, and I don't have what it takes, that is for sure.”
Richie Hogan (photo by Daire Brennan/Sportsfile via Getty Images)Kilkenny have been Limerick's biggest challengers to the All-Ireland crown but have come up short in the last two finals. There is a likelihood that Kilkenny and Limerick could meet once again in the Liam McCarthy decider this coming year, but they will have to try and topple Limerick without Hogan, the veteran.
When asked about the biggest challenge he faced as an inter-county hurler, the 35-year-old said patience. Hogan admitted that being able to contribute in the latter stages of his career was more than enough for him.
“You keep doing what you've done day in and day out; train as hard as you possibly can,” Hogan added.
“What I found to be the biggest challenge was patience. I wanted to play. I did know when I was fully right that I would be playing; that kept me going. I knew when I was fully right, I could play to at least a really high standard.
“Maybe I wasn't able to reach the levels I was able to reach in the mid-2010s, but I was certainly able to contribute. That was enough for me; it was better than sitting and watching.”
The Leinster final between Dublin and Kilkenny will take place in Croke Park on June 8 at 6pm.
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