Waterford legend John Mullane would trade all five of his All-Stars for one All-Ireland win
JOHN MULLANE knows the biggest prize in hurling eluded him throughout his playing career.
The Waterford legend won All-Stars and Munster titles during his playing days but never got to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
And, speaking on Sunday Sport on RTE as this year's winners were named, he said: "I find it's very difficult, even doing the radio, in around the All-Ireland finals - you do be saying, 'Jesus I would have loved to have gotten over the line just once'.
"It's a nice second or a nice third after winning a Munster Championship, but I would give up all five of them for one All-Ireland medal. It's the ultimate prize at the end of the day.
"When you start out in January, it isn't in your head, 'I want to go and win an All-Star'. What's in your head is, 'I want to go and win a trophy, I want to get up the steps of Semple Stadium, get up the steps of the Hogan Stand'. That's the ultimate goal for any hurler."
Meanwhile, Limerick's 'Hurler of the Year' Gearóid Hegarty has revealed that being dropped as a minor was the making of him.
MINOR ADJUSTMENTS
The 26-year-old said: “I suppose not a lot of people would know that as a minor I was on the panel for two years and I never really got a look in.
“In my first year as a minor when I was only under 17, I was thinking that was a learning curve and I was hoping that the year after, I’d get on the starting team. And I never did.
“I only think I made one subs’ bench over the two years and I think I regressed in my full minor year.
"I didn’t even make a subs’ bench and that knocked me for six.
“Looking back now, those were the best things that ever happened to me — those experiences.
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"They make you. I just wasn’t good enough as a minor.
“It’s been an incredible journey and one I’ve really enjoyed, there’s been plenty of ups but there’s also been loads and loads of downs — probably more downs and more failures.
“But you’ve just got to learn from your failures.”