It’s easy to tell from talking to Gearóid Hegarty why he becomes his own eventful force of nature on the hurling field. Clearly caring deeply about his own level of performance, he “couldn’t care less” what anyone else thinks, for better or for worse, bar what’s said inside Limerick’s own hurling circle.
Championship week, and Hegarty is in no way muted before Limerick open the defence of their Munster and All-Ireland titles with Sunday’s trip to Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork no doubt still hurting from the lesson received in Croke Park last August.
For now Hegarty is talking about another lesson, how “embarrassed” the 2020 hurler of the year felt by the timing and consequence of the straight red card he was shown in Limerick’s second round defeat to Galway in the Allianz Hurling League, in front of a home crowd and the LIT Gaelic Grounds last February.
It was Limerick’s second successive defeat of an ultimately unsuccessful league campaign, Hegarty sent off 10 minutes into the second half after flicking his hurl at a Galway opponent in the aftermath of an ugly sideline scuffle. With Limerick reduced to 14 men, Galway drilled them with seven unanswered points in the last 10 minutes, winning 0-27 to Limerick’s 1-18.
In the immediate aftermath of that game, Donal Óg Cusack told RTÉ League Saturday that Hegarty had it coming to him, the former Cork goalkeeper adding that Limerick have a question mark around their discipline.
“Limerick have been outstanding champions over the last number of years, but if there’s been one question mark around them, a main question mark, it’s around their discipline. With Hegarty, you’d have to say it, it’s coming to him a while.
“We’ve all spoken very highly of him and Limerick over the last number of years, but he has a fierce habit of flicking back with the hurley. You can’t do it. He’s been lucky over the last number of years.”
Speaking on Monday as an ambassador for hurling championship sponsors Bord Gáis Energy, the Limerick forward openly admitted his regret and the lasting lesson he intends to make of it. But whatever Óg Cusack said means nothing to him.
“I don’t know did I even hear that, to be honest, I don’t pay too much attention to what’s being said, bar what’s said inside our own group,” he said. “I did see, was it Richie Power from Kilkenny who sent out a tweet? People send me on things 24/7 on WhatsApp, I hardly look at them.
“Look, people are entitled to their opinions. I suppose the old phase nice fellas win nothing is relevant, like we do play on the edge as a team, I think we all do, and I think you have to play on the edge, it’s kill or be killed out there in my opinion.
“He’s entitled to his opinion, it doesn’t bother me, I couldn’t care less what anybody says about me bar the people inside in our little circle.”
Horrible
On the red card incident, he said: “Talking from my own sense, sure it was stupid. I was embarrassed. It’s a horrible feeling, I never got sent off before, a straight red, definitely not with Limerick anyway.
“I felt like I was hurling really well, then I went off around 45 minutes, had to watch the last 25 minutes, knowing you’re after leaving your team mates down, everyone that’s after coming in to watch the game, my family, it’s just awkward, you don’t even want to go home and look them in the eye after doing something so stupid.
Óg Cusack’s suggestion that Limerick have a discipline problem didn’t sit well either; Séamus Flanagan was also red-carded against Cork, the game Hegarty was suspended for, while Aaron Gillane was sent off for two bookable offences against Clare.
Hegarty doesn’t agree that Limerick play dirty: “I think there’s a big difference between being dirty and being physical. There’s a bit of a grey area between the two, but we do play a very physical brand of hurling, simple as that. You play on the edge, at times you go a little bit over the edge, that’s why the referee is there to control it.
“I made a mistake in the Galway game, went too far over the line, and I got punished. I should have got punished. It’s not going to stop me from playing on the edge, it’s worked for me very well over the last few years, and it’s about striking the balance between not going too far over the line. I know that horrible feeling when you do get sent off, and I’ve learned from it.”
Hegarty admitted he’s “probably” a target for opponents, same as Limerick would target key players in their opposition.
Expenses
He also clarified that while he was speaking as an ambassador for Bord Gáis Energy, he supports the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) demands for full reimbursement of expenses. “Players need to be looked after, simple as that, I totally understand where the GPA are coming from. We’re lucky we’re being looked after in Limerick, as everyone should be.”
Ominously too he reckons he’s in the best hurling shape of his life: “Yeah, I feel great. Last year going into the championship, I’d missed a good chunk of the league, with a groin injury, and only had two or three weeks under my belt going into the championship.
“I’ve had a full pre-season, we’ve been back since the first week in January, I haven’t missed a training session. Feeling really good and can’t wait to get going.”
There’s a parting shot too at the rule which prevents Under-20 players from lining out in their own grade, once they make a senior appearance: “That is the worst rule I have ever heard in my life from the GAA.
“How a rule was brought in to stop anyone who is good enough to play the underage group and play senior, they get punished if they’re good enough, honestly I think it’s a disgrace.”
To mark the start of the championship this weekend, Bord Gáis Energy is launching The Gift of the GAAB, the search for Ireland’s most Hurling To The Core pundit.
