NOW IS AS good a time as any for Pat Hoban to apologise.

Especially this week, as his brothers, Paul and Thomas, prepare for Loughrea’s All Ireland Club hurling final against Ballygunner tomorrow.

Had Pat’s sporting life taken a different turn, they would most likely be lining out at Croke Park together.

He has already savoured success with Paul when they helped their club win the Galway Minor A title in 2009, and Pat almost bowed out in glorious fashion when he was in the side that lost to St Thomas’ in the 2012 county final.

“It was sad not to win it, but the semi-final and the atmosphere is still one of my top five moments in sport. It was amazing, and even though I knew the final was going to be my last hurling game, I was comfortable with the decision,” he says.

Almost 15 years on there are still no regrets, Pat going on to become a professional footballer in England and the League of Ireland, writing his name in Dundalk’s history as their record scorer with 150 goals.

The magnitude of this week instead offers a chance for reflection – whisper it, even some nostalgia.

Doing so means he knows he must say sorry to Paul for his behaviour during an U12s game for the club, the one they would run or cycle to at the top of the hill from their estate at Cois Carraig.

There is a year in age between each brother – Paul the youngest, Pat in the middle and Thomas the eldest – and on this occasion, Pat and Paul were teammates, as they so often were.

The Hobans together in Loughrea colours.

“We couldn’t be any more competitive growing up, like, you know, one minute we’re loving each other, the next way we’re batin’ the head off each other, to be honest with you,” Pat laughs.

And he’s not messing.

“Paul was in goal and the other team scored a goal with a shot I felt he should have saved. I was forward and I ran down the length of the pitch and gave him a box.

“I was a real hothead until around 14, then I started to calm down,” Pat says, a statement sure to prick the ears of teammates and rivals around the League of Ireland.

“In hindsight, when I think of it now, he should never have saved the shot so I was completely wrong. I am sorry for that. Thankfully it was quickly forgotten about.”

That level of competitiveness extended from playing darts at home – their parents played in the local pub league – to the road and the green in front of their house.

‘We played everything.”

Soccer was the big draw for the kids in the estate. They made goals and marked out their own pitch. The Hobans were Manchester United supporters. Roy Keane, David Beckham and Ruud van Nistelrooy were the posters that decorated the bedroom walls.

“Mam got us The Treble video after United won it in 1999 and I think I watched it every day after school.”

School wasn’t much different, and there was a similarly influential figure in secondary, a Mr. Tougher who taught Pat French, English and Religion.

‘He’d roll out a George Best video during Religion and we’d watch all his goals and skills.”

Pat insists that Thomas would have had a great chance of making a career in professional football if he opted for that route. “Or the Galway footballers if Loughrea had a stronger team.”

Paul, he enthuses, was naturally gifted with the small ball from as early as he could remember.

“He could play off both sides and had so much power.”

Despite his own progress towards senior level with Loughrea, Pat’s commitment to soccer never wavered while at Lakeside Celtic.

He remembers being asked by some at the club to make a decision around minor level, and when they realised he was prepared to walk away, they quickly made amends to ensure he remained onside.

‘It was always going to be soccer, I am a proud Loughrea man and hurling means so much to us, I’m so proud of what my brothers are doing.”

An ultimate decision did have to be made around that county decider with St Thomas’, though.

The Hoban brothers with their mother after Pat won the FAI Cup with Dundalk.

Pat already had a year without hurling when he left for Bristol City in his teens, returning home to make a name for himself under legendary Galway figure Johnny Glynn at Mervue United in the old A Championship.

Longford Town and Limerick offered him a contract but when Stephen Kenny asked to meet, the decision to join Dundalk was an obvious one.

‘That is where I was going and it wasn’t even something that needed to be said about finishing up with the hurling, I knew it had to be done.”

At the end of that same year, he remembers how Paul was so close to featuring for Galway in the All Ireland semi-final win over Cork.

‘But he got injured warming up during half-time, he went over on his ankle and did the ligaments.”

He returned to the panel for the drawn final with Kilkenny, which the Cats won in a replay.

‘”I sometimes think that Loughrea players don’t get a fair crack of the whip when it comes to Galway, to be honest.

“Don’t get me wrong, I support Galway, I want them to be successful, but I’d get more of a buzz from Loughrea winning an All-Ireland than Galway.”

For the back-to-back county champions, such a dream could become a reality tomorrow, and the trophy cabinet in the Hoban family home in Loughrea could have two new medals to make room for.

“Let’s hope so, they can take pride of place.”