Horgan hoping chemistry right for another perfect day against Barrs

Nemo's Conor Horgan is a five-time county championship winner, but 2022 against the Barrs was special.

Conor Horgan of Nemo Rangers who play St. Finbarr's in the Cork Premier SFC final at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

In the same way a parent shouldn’t have a favourite child, a footballer shouldn’t have a favourite county medal. And if they do, it probably isn’t respectful to the other kids and pieces of silverware to admit such.

Conor Horgan is a five-time county championship winner with Nemo Rangers. Not all five are cherished equally. And understandably so.

Across the first four - 2015, ‘17 (both replay wins), ‘19 and ‘20 - Horgan managed one white flag. In the case of 2017, he didn’t see action until three minutes from the finish. In the case of 2019 and the delayed 2020 decider, he was subbed off at different stages of the second period.

And then there was 2022. Glorious, glorious 2022. 1-3 beside his name. Top-scorer from play. His was the chipped goal that sent Nemo 10 clear five minutes into the second-half.

You don’t forget a day like that in a hurry.

And having, just a week earlier, graduated with a PhD in medicinal chemistry from UCC, you don’t forget a fortnight like that in a hurry either.

Cap, gown, scroll, and silverware all collected for framing.

“If Carlsberg did weeks kind of thing. I was riding the crest of a wave that whole week,” Horgan recalled on the eve of this latest Barrs-Nemo decider.

“In all the years I have been playing, it is one of the most memorable days, not just because of my own contribution, but the team performance. It was as close to a complete performance as we have ever put together.

“With us, sometimes that can be the most frustrating thing. We are brilliant at turning on for 20 minutes or half an hour, but we rarely put the full 60 together. That day was unbelievable, just class. If we could replicate that performance, it would go a long way to getting the right result.” 

In the minutes after the 2022 final win, Luke Connolly railed at how Nemo had been “written off”, “criticised”, and “disrespected” coming into the game. Horgan, from a remove of three years, acknowledges how Nemo getting the collective back up had worked wonders for them.

The Barrs are again favourites for this latest southside collision, albeit not in a manner which Nemo can again use to their advantage.

“In fairness to the Barrs that year, not only were they flying form-wise, but the momentum that they had also gathered from the hurling win. It was a bit of a juggernaut.

“It probably played into our hands in that we came in under the radar, which is something we are not used to. That is not the case this year, but I do think the Barrs are still favourites after the result against Haven. Everyone sat up and took notice of them after putting six goals past the Haven. No one knows better than us how hard that is to do.” 

The senior development chemist at Thermo Fisher went to Chríost Rí with several of those that will wear blue on Sunday. Himself and Barrs corner-back Sam Ryan studied Chemistry together at UCC. They also spent the summer of 2017 lining out for Christopher’s in Boston.

With Horgan moved inside for the current campaign, there’s every possibility the “good buds” will spend Sunday in each other’s company.

The Barrs corner-back runs a thriving coffee spot out in Togher, but there’ll be no Nemo business this weekend.

“It is some of the best coffee around, but I'll be staying away this week,” he quips. “My girlfriend and I, we'd often pop into SAM’S on a Saturday, but the deeper it goes into championship, the less visits we make!” 

Horgan joined the set-up in 2014. He was fighting for a forward spot in the exalted company of Paul Kerrigan, Dylan Mehigan, James Masters, Barry O’Driscoll, and Luke Connolly. In more recent years, Mark Cronin has stepped up to conduct the black and green orchestra.

Horgan knows his chair and the tune expected from him. It was the 30-year-old who kicked the leveling score at the end of regulation time against Newcestown, it was he who was fouled for the winning free at the end of extra-time.

“I've always known my place and role in the team. I don't think anyone is going to argue that Paul was our star forward, then Luke took over the mantle, and now Mark has taken over that mantle.

“I just enjoy playing with them because they are three of the best forwards in the county over the last 15 years. They bring everyone's standard up. And they definitely can take the pressure off too.” 

Three years ago, Horgan brought the standard and pressure-quenching scores. He’s hoping for another Carlsberg county final.