Gearoid Hegarty: 'These are the days of our lives" as Limerick hurlers set for Croke Park

"THESE are the days of our lives", beams 2020 Hurler of the Year Gearoid Hegarty as Limerick begin the countdown in earnest to the All-Ireland SHC semi final.

Hegarty and Limerick play in a fourth successive semi final on August 7 where Dublin.

"These are the days of our lives - I am 26 and 27 in two weeks time and I won’t be at this forever. For a long long time Limerick hasn’t been at the top table in hurling, where they are consistently able to challenge for Munster titles, consistently able to get to Croke Park, consistently able to challenge for All Ireland titles and it may not last forever and it definitely won’t last forever for me, so we jus have to enjoy it" outlined Hegarty.

The St Patricks clubman was speaking with media event to promote Bord Gáis Energy’s series GAAGAABox.

"You can look at things in a negative sense or a positive sense and  I am just extremely lucky to be in the position I am in. The weather of the last couple of weeks and to be able to go training in shorts and a vest and putting on sun cream before training - it’s just brilliant. Training inside in the LIT Gaelic Grounds in 25-26 degrees heat and going down to Pairc Ui Chaoimh with fans inside in the stadium and to be actually able to give a ticket to your mother and father and brothers and sisters and they are so delighted to be going to games."

He continued: "You sometimes have to take a step back and appreciate the position we are in. To give so much hope and enjoyment to people after a difficult last 18 months is a privilege" 

August 7 will Limerick's seventh big game in Croke Park since 2018.

"Any day you get to Croke Park is a special day," said the wing forward.

"As a young fellas for years I was going to Croke Park and not just to watch Limerick games because Limerick weren’t there as much as I would have liked. I am a massive GAA fan and have cousins in Dublin so went to Dublin football games and used to love going to All Ireland hurling final and All Ireland football final. I came on the panel in 2016 after the U21 victory in 2015 and didn’t get to play in Croke Park until 2018. In the lead up to the All Ireland semi final in 2018 against Cork I had to do a bit of work with Caroline (Currid) because I had never played there . It was my third year on the panel and first time getting there after three years. Thankfully we have been there every year since," he outlined. 

"All Irelands are won in Croke Park so there is where you want to be - if you want to win an All Ireland, you have to be able to perform in Croke Park. Its the best hurling field in the whole country and he best stadium in the whole country - one of the best stadiums in the world in my opinion - 82,000 people in Croke Park back in the good days."

And, Hegarty is a big fan of semi final day in Croker.

"I actually believe All Ireland semi final day is arguably just as special as All Ireland final day - All Ireland final day there can be a lot of neutral supporters because every county gets a certain amount of tickets, whereas All Ireland semi final can be real 50-50. The 2018 and 2019 games up there were unbelievable in terms of atmosphere because realistically the vast majority of people there are either Limerick or Cork in 2018 or Kilkenny in 2019 and so forth."

While Limerick have shown inconsistencies in the league and championship in 2021 to-date, Hegarty is adamant that constant improvement is pleasing. 

"It was the same last year - we started off against Clare and we improved then to go play Tipp down in Cork and we went into the Munster final then and we were improving game on game and I think we have done the same this year because we improved after the Cork game and onto the Tipp game, albeit with a poor first half. We will need to improve again going into a semi final. We could be playing a team that is on the back of a couple of really tough games so we will have to be ready. I do believe we are improving and we will see on Saturday week," he explained.

"I always believe that no matter where you are in life and no matter what you are doing sport or in your own professional working career that you can always get better. I am a big soccer fan and look at Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo and they were still improving well into their 30s. Look at all top sports people around the world and they are constantly striving to improve."

Hegarty explained: "If you are standing still you will be passed out its as simple as that. You have to be always improving - you can never be a standing target because you will get passed out. Look at any team that is at the pinnacle of theirs spot - they never never ever come out and say that they don't need to improve to be successful again. We have been very inconsistent in matches so far - in the Cork match in the first half and in both first halves v Cork and Tipp and we can’t let that happen again the next day". 

Those inconsistencies saw Limerick 10-points down to Tipperary in the Munster final but the second half will live long with Hegarty.

"It’s absolutely brilliant and that’s why you do all the hard training in Ratheale in November and December in the freezing cold and rain. I remember when I came on the panel originally Wayne McNamara was a very influential figure on the team and I used to travel to training with him. He used always talk about championship hurling being a drug. Once you experience a win in championship or the full heat and battle, it is something you can never forget and something you always want more of. As bad as the first half felt, that second half was something that will live with me forever," he recalled.

Limerick now stand two victories from back-to-back Liam MacCarthy Cup titles for the first time ever.

"It’s not something we have talked about because there is no point talking about it when you are in an All-Ireland semi final," said the Limerick star.

"I know it’s the boring answer but when you start thinking about winning back-to-back Liam MacCarthys when you are not even in an All-Ireland final that's when you can get caught - we are going to be playing a team on Saturday week that has possibly come through a coupe of qualifier rounds and a tough quarter final and will be ready for us and willing to beat us."

He explained: "No matter who the All Ireland champions are every year, they are the team that everyone wants to be. It was the exact same for us going down to Pairc Ui Chaoimh last year to play Tipperary and they were the All Ireland champions and we knew if we could beat Tipperary we would set ourselves up to get to the Munster final and potential a very good year. It’s the same for every single All Ireland champion, there is always a target on their back. You can look at it in a negative sense and say there is pressure but I look at it in a positive sense and what a complement to be the team that everyone is hunting - it’s a mantle that everybody would want because everyone wants to be the All Ireland champion".

When not on a GAA field or the classroom, Hegarty is to be found on a golf course.

"Golf is a real mental battle," he explains.

And a help to hurling?

"I have read a couple of books on the psychology around golf. I love the psychology of sport in general. There is a lot that you can take from golf. Tiger Woods any time that he used to hit a bad shot, he used to be annoyed for a few seconds but he would pick a point on the fairway ahead of him and by the time he gets to that point the shot is gone and he has focused on the next shot. Similar to when Tiger hit a bad shot, pick a point and it’s gone - by the time I ran back out to my position it was gone and I already forgot about it."

#HurlingToTheCore ambassador Gearóid Hegarty, pictured alongside the Twomey Family from Ahane GAA, who star in this year’s second series of Bord Gáis Energy’s GAAGAABox, which features the most passionate hurling fans across the country filmed in their front-rooms as they experience the agony and ecstasy of following their counties’ fortunes from home. You can watch GAAGAABox on Bord Gáis Energy’s #HurlingToTheCore YouTube channel throughout the Senior Hurling Championship.