The 2024 GAA season will always hold a special place for the Clare senior hurlers and their management and this is particularly true for outstanding defender Adam Hogan from Feakle.
His season started with Fitzgibbon cup success with Mary Immaculate College, Limerick.
National league and All-Ireland success followed with Clare before attention switched to the domestic scene where he played a key part in helping his native Feakle bridge a 36 year gap with success in the Clare senior championship.
There was further success when Adam was named as the young hurler of the year, the accolade going to Clare for a second successive year following Mark Rodgers in 2023.
Just recently, in the space of seven days, Adam collected his county championship medal, his national league and All-Ireland medals and
both were presented to him by another Feakle great, Ger Loughnane.
For now, that’s all in the past and the focus is on Kilkenny who face Clare in the opening round of this season’s Allianz hurling league on this Sunday.
“We have been back training for the past month or so and we know we are facing a big test against Kilkenny on Sunday. We beat them a few times last year so they are sure to be determined to reverse those results”, Adam told The Clare Echo this week.
With a number of last year’s first choice fifteen ruled out for the early season games, Adam believes “this is a great opportunity for players to show where they are at and it will show the depth that is in the panel”.
Agreeing that “it was good to celebrate last year’s successes”, the skilful defender added “we must now strive for bigger things in the year ahead. That brings a bit of pressure but the lads will relish that all we can do is work as hard as possible and take each game as it comes. Right now the target is Kilkenny on Sunday. There is sure to be a great atmosphere in Cusack Park. They will be coming here determined to beat us and we know the test they will present”.
Given his schedule at present with Fitzgibbon cup competition and being part of the Clare set up, is he concerned
with the workload?
“The S and C guys manage that and Brian (Lohan) is very accommodating. We all want to be paying games, we train all year for that and its all about managing the load”, he replied. Adam has no hesitation in saying “Feakle’s championship win was special, coming after a 36 year wait and most of the player’s fathers had played on that one. It was great for the community and it was the icing on the cake at the end of a great season. It was well celebrated but it’s all over now and the focus is on the year ahead”
Continuing he said “its all about getting fitter and better now and to do well in the league which will be a greatest ahead of the champion-
ship. The Munster championship is huge and hopefully this league will see many of the panellists get valuable game time. It’s about building a squad and we all saw the importance of a squad in the All-Ireland final”.
Concluding Adam said “it will be a similar approach to last year, go out to win every game. On Sunday Kilkenny will be gunning for us, it should be a great occasion with a great atmosphere”.
