Brian Hurley: ‘People are sick listening to me about my hamstrings’

Brian Hurley is tired of talking about it but injury was a big event in his career, specifically the horrific hamstring avulsion that befell him in 2016. It tore so badly that he could hear it; a year later, on the comeback trail, the same thing happened.

Asked during a promotional call for league sponsors Allianz about his view expressed in the meantime that the trauma had been “a blessing in disguise” and made him realise how lucky he was to be back playing, he explains.

“When you are told possibly that you won’t play at intercounty level again it was a fairly frightening experience. I think the majority of people are sick of listening to me about my hamstrings but there are always these questions about them.

“It wasn’t easy, to be honest – 2018 was a very difficult year. Mentally, I thought I was there 120 per cent but physically, I was there probably about 65/70 and it just took that time to get back up.

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“It made me very mentally strong and I do appreciate my football now and I do enjoy it more having had that experience from that period when you are doing the hard work in the gym and no one sees the sacrifice you are making.”

The injury also interrupted a successful career with Cork and by the time he was able to resume, the county was on the slide, having dropped to Division Three at one point.

There was as a result something comforting about Hurley’s all-action display last weekend when Cork faced Dublin in Division Two. He even had the winning of the match deep into injury time but a fine save from David O’Hanlon pushed the ball on to the crossbar.

Despite the plaudits on offer for pushing the visitors and his own performance, the Castlehaven forward prefers a more critical narrative.

“When you look back at the game and actually analyse it, we are probably disappointed. Even collectively and individually there were a lot of mistakes. I think we had 15 wides in total and if you miss that much you don’t deserve to win too many games to be honest with you.”

At the moment Cork are managed by All-Ireland winner John Cleary, who stepped up from the position of coach under Keith Ricken when the latter had to step down as manager because of ill health.

Already the team has lost both of its home matches but, equally, produced a devastating display to undermine Kildare’s prospects of promotion. But even though Hurley dauntlessly refuses to write off promotion, the two defeats already sustained is about as many as they can afford.

His personal performance, 0-8 – half from play – last weekend in Páirc Uí Chaoimh was a reminder that Brian Hurley has been making an impact against Dublin for around 10 years. In 2013, he scored 0-3 in the All-Ireland quarter-final, kicked 0-1 and 0-5 in the following year’s league, the latter a semi-final, on the way to an All Star nomination.

Since returning from injury he has been a lively, scoring threat in the counties’ two championship quarter-final meetings in 2019 and last year.

Does he have an opinion as to why he does so well against the game’s former market leaders? Of course not – at first.

“I don’t know, to be honest. It is not about a personal thing, I would rather have a good record against them collectively and win.

“In terms of their dominance, they have probably been the best team in Ireland for the last 10 years. I like upping my game definitely for the bigger teams. You are marking better players. I was on Mick Fitzsimons last week and he has eight All-Irelands and you have to find an extra per cent to be marking the best, to try and get the most out of yourself.”

[ Much-improved Cork too strong for Kildare ]

Cork’s lengthening exile from the top flight must have impacted on his own game.

“Possibly, but you have to play what’s in front of you and, you know, all surfaces are not as good as Croke Park or Páirc Uí Chaoimh so it is nearly easier to play on it.

“But teams set up differently. When you play the likes of Dublin, they have very honest defenders and they will mark you one-on-one while with other teams there could be blanket defences and it could be very difficult to play.”

For someone who has had issues with his hamstring, the constant driving can be a problem. A sales executive with Swords packaging company Abco Kovex, he is based in Cork but has to travel a lot.

“Yeah, so I’d normally try and do the long distance on the day we’re not training or, if there’s an overnight, try and get back down for training... The odd night you might do the gym on the road or whatever.

“You try and base yourself half locally around Cork on the days you’re training because the way the game is gone, it’s unforgiving for hamstrings and quads.”

He is, however, quick to dispel any perception of a frustrating career.

“From the other side of the fence, it’s highly enjoyable to be training at the highest level in GAA and walking back into your club or going down home for weekends and people chatting to you and wanting to know what you’re doing.

“There’s a high off that as well, it’s not just picking up medals and stuff.”