IT’S ALMOST A year to the day that we brought you the story of divided loyalties in the Hogan household.
Last year’s county quarter-final went the way of Keith and Clara, who got the better of Brian’s O’Loughlin Gaels.
This year, the siblings will meet again on the biggest day of the Kilkenny club calendar, after Sunday’s semi-finals ensured that the clubs will contest the Noreside decider on Sunday week, 25 October.
It’s a pairing to look forward to and one of the Hogan brothers will be left with bragging rights following the Nowlan Park clash.
In the O’Loughlin Gaels corner, Brian’s teammate Martin Comerford will be hoping to inspire a first county title for the club since 2010, after starring in Sunday’s shock semi-final victory over All-Ireland champions Ballyhale Shamrocks.
And speaking to Oisin Langan on the Newstalk rewind podcast, Comerford hailed the enduring leadership qualities of his former Kilkenny teammate, who won seven All-Ireland senior medals.
“To be honest, I’ve seen him more at training when he was hurling with the county team than he has been this year!” Comerford laughed.
“Ah no, Brian doesn’t need to train too hard. He’s a fantastic leader, a great friend of mine, he’s just a rock, without doubt the best centre back in the county at club level.
“He’s brilliant and probably (due to) work commitments, other than that he would have been on the Kilkenny team again this year, without a doubt.
“A brilliant, brilliant player and a brilliant, brilliant leader for us. We’re absolutely thrilled to have him. I’m sure he’s going to have a good battle with his brother in the final.
“It’s going to be interesting! They’ve marked each other before. I don’t know how they do it but we’ll see how it goes in the final!”
For Comerford and O’Loughlin Gaels, victory over Ballyhale was a seismic moment.
He’s 37 now and treasures days like these.
“It’s absolutely fantastic,” he said. “We’re over the moon to beat the All-Ireland champions and county champions, with such an array of talent on their team.
“For an up and coming club like ourselves to beat a brilliant team is a great honour.”
Comerford rolled back the years with a 0-3 haul from play and he said: “I was gasping a lot through the game but I’m 37 now!
“It’s great to be able to put on the socks and boots and go out and hurl.
“When you get a bit older, the pressure comes off and you can play with a bit more freedom.
“We always knew that we were going get sucker punches when you have players like TJ (Reid), Henry (Shefflin), Colin and Michael Fennelly, Cha (Fitzpatrick) and so forth.
“It was just a matter of riding out the storm and keep tagging on the points.”
An emotional Comerford is now relishing the prospect of another county decider.
“I love playing hurling number one, love playing for O’Loughlin Gaels, the team I played with since I was six or seven years of age.
“I just love putting on the O’Loughlin Gaels jersey, it would make you emotional, representing such a fantastic club.
“My friends, family and everybody belonging to me played for them, it’s a great honour to cut the mustard at such a high level for a club like ourselves, always fighting against the city powerhouses like James Stephens and Dicksboro.”
