'It is not something we take for granted' says Naas' Richie Hogan ahead of Kildare SHC Final

Ever present full back, Naas' Richie Hogan on Brian Dowling's Kildare team which did unbelievably well, winning the Joe McDonagh Cup, gaining promotion to Division 1B of the AHL for 2026 and now back with his club seeking a seventh senior title in a row.

Richie though has had his fair share of injuries and as we approach this weekend's senior decider (Naas v Maynooth) the influential full-back will not be part of Tom Mulally's match day squad.

“I'm out injured since the end of June, did my right ankle, came back for a few weeks and went over on my left one.”

That initial injury was Richie's first day back with Naas after the successful county journey so the talented hurler has yet to hit a sliother with Naas in 2025.

“I'm tipping away doing the rehab stuff, doing the bike and conditioning stuff and all that.”

Will he get back on the pitch in 2025?

“I'm seeing the physio this week, hopefully I get a bit of good news there and get back on the pitch.”

Frustrating?

“Yes” comes the instant reply, adding “very frustrating, especially picking up the two injuries back-to-back; back for a week and a half, getting into the swing of things and gone again.”

Despite such a great year with the county Richie says you have to put all that behind you when you go back to the club, start all over again.

“I am there on training nights with the lads, help out with some of the drills, bringing out the water, showing your face.”
Another county and club man that is out is Cathal Dowling, a player who has also spent a lot of time looking on rather than playing.

“He (Cathal) pulled his hamstring during one of the training matches, I don't think he is too bad, he is tipping away at the running, doing the physio work, so hopefully he will back soon.”

While there is a lot of talk about Naas and Leinster, Richie says that within the group, when we get together preparing for the season (with the club) the no. 1 aim is to make the county final.

“It is not something we take for granted, there is a lot of hard work and sacrifices made to get there.”

On the relative new lads in the squad, Liam Walsh, Evan O'Brian and Liam O'Reilly, Richie says “the thing about the injuries, and we have a number of them, myself, Cathal (Dowling) Burkey (James Burke) Conan (Boran), John McKeon, it gives the young lads the opportunity to step up and while they have been training with us for the last couple of years, they have taken their chances this year and stepped up.

“It all makes for competitive training, you know if you get a chance you have to step up and take the opportunity, so indeed very competitive training which is great for the team, plenty of lads waiting and you know in a game you have to perform as there are plenty of lads on the bench just waiting to get the chance to come in.”

Looking back on the season Richie said that while Naas came through the group reasonably well, “there is still a lot of areas we need to improve on; our scoring efficiency for example, the last day, I think we only finished up with sixteen points so looking forward to the final we want to be having our shooting boots on.”

On the manager Tom Mulally, Richie says “a serious man, since he and Christy (Kealy) came in they have brought Naas hurling to a standard no one really thought we could get to, so the last five years they have brought up the standard and it is due to the amount of work they have put in.”

So all eyes on Sunday?

“We know Maynooth will be a serious challenge, this will be their third final in four years, we know when we play them it is going to be serious, they have had a lot of underage success so yes, we will face a serious challenge come Sunday.”

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