HENRY SHEFFLIN BOWED out of hurling earlier this year and we sat down with the King to talk about his career recently.
We took the opportunity to ask who his toughest opponents were throughout his time in black and amber.
Seanie McMahon
Clare
“He was just a serious hurler basically. I was playing centre forward at the time and he was just so well able to read the game, he was very strong in the air and the thing about it was he could hurt you then because he could score a couple of frees. Or he could get the next ball and put it over the bar from play.
“It was just a wonderful era and he was a great player. He was so cute, he read the game so well. So you might be tipping along with your couple of points and he’s back at you with his couple of points.”
Sean Óg Ó hAilpín
Cork
“He was just so fit, so strong but just so fair as well. Always attacking the ball, physically very strong but as well as that he was a great. I think he did the simple things very, very well. That’s what you need in top players.”
Padraig Maher
Tipperary
He was a very difficult opponent. Again, very strong in the air. The right hand under, like JJ Delaney, he comes at catching a ball in a different way to what you are used to. Very dynamic and like the others, very much a leader. If he started hitting ball, the crowd were right behind. And that’s something that could catch you out a bit.