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Hurling

hurling

Eoin Cadogan enjoying his second coming

Eoin Cadogan

Eoin Cadogan

By John Harrington

When Eoin Cadogan accepted John Meyler’s invitation to join the Cork hurling panel for the 2018 season, he freely admits he was taking a risk.

He hadn’t hurled at that level of the game since the 2014 season and in the interim had focused on playing Gaelic Football with Cork.

That’s a big gap to bridge no matter how much natural talent you have, but, so far at least, Cadogan’s risk had paid off.

He was a fixture at full-back in the team during their League campaign, and with the Munster Hurling Championship just around the corner he’s determined to continue putting his best foot forward.

“I’m not just here to come back and fill a spot in the squad,” said Cadogan today at the launch of the 2018 John West National GAA Féile competitions in Croke Park.

“I’m back to be able to contribute in whatever shape or form that is, whether that’s playing a part, starting, it doesn’t really matter to me.

“I thoroughly enjoy being an intercounty player. I thoroughly enjoy playing with my club. The reality is that window is only there for a short period of time.

“I’m actually really enjoying this year so far. I’ve learned a lot from previous years in terms of how to prepare a bit better, how to enjoy things a bit better, and so far it’s been really good. I can’t wait now for the Munster Championship to get going.”

Cadogan has done plenty of extra-curricular training in order to get his hurling up to the level required, including sessions in the ball-alley with his brother and Cork team-mate, Alan.

“I suppose in hurling your fitness will only carry you so far,” said Cadogan. “Ultimately it's a skill oriented sport. It's up to yourself, you can't go back and expect miracles, you have to work a lot on your touch on your catching and so on.

“It's not a case of coming back and thinking everything was going to be rosy. I've been putting a lot of work in and continue to do that.

“If you keep putting the work in then hopefully it'll start to reward you.”

Waterford v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Relegation Play-Off

Waterford v Cork - Allianz Hurling League Division 1 Relegation Play-Off

Full-back is arguably the most pressurised out-field position on a hurling team. You’re only ever one slip away from disaster, so the stakes couldn’t be higher.

You could have forgiven Cadogan for being a little bit apprehensive when he made his comeback against Kilkenny in the first round of the Allianz Hurling League, but that’s just not the way he’s wired.

"You don't put yourself in a situation where you go out to doubt yourself,” he said.

“If you're committing to something, which I have done, I back myself in the sense that I know that I've a lot of work put in and that if I wasn't capable, I wouldn't be asked back and if I didn't think I was capable, I wouldn't put myself in the situation to go back there and contribute. I feel I can contribute across all those three aspects.”

When he joined up with the panel, Cork manager John Meyler said that, as well as ability, Cadogan would bring experience and leadership qualities and be a good role-model for the younger players in the panel.

He would have already known the up and coming generation of young Cork hurlers having worked with them at U-21 level as Cork’s Strength and Conditioning Coach last year.

And as much as he’s tried to lead by example this year, he reckons he’s benefited as much from being around them as they have from being around him.

“I suppose the core group is a very different dynamic in the sense that the age is a lot younger than I would have previously experienced with the footballers," he said.

“I would have worked a lot with those guys as the S&C Coach the year previous under John (Meyler) as well. I'd actually have a good enough relationship with them all both on the field and off the field as well from last year.

“It's been seamless enough. At the end of the day, I'm not their S&C coach now, I'm their team-mate, another player. We'll just try to improve each other and there's plenty of things that I can learn from those guys.

“Those young guys have come in and they hurl off the cuff. Their skill level is incredible. If anything, I can be learning a small bit from them.

“These guys play with confidence in their own ability. Confidence in the style of hurling they’re asked to play.

“I think the guys and players in the squad have a fierce belief in what we’re going out to achieve, and once you have a belief in yourself and what’s expected of you, then everything follows.”