'That can’t come into the game' - Patrick Horgan disagrees with Ben O'Connor over helmet rule

Patrick Horgan speaks on RTÉ's Allianz League Sunday show. Pic: RTÉ.

Cork manager Ben O’Connor held very little back when speaking to the press in the aftermath of Saturday’s victory over Tipperary.

After RTÉ were accused of twisting his words following the Rebels’ league win over Galway the week previous, O’Connor again took aim at the GAA officials for some of their rules, including a hurley making contact with an opponent’s head.

“They shouldn't be a yellow card! Some of them aren't even a free, not to mind a yellow card. There’s no fella getting slapped down on the head.

“They're trying to cleanse the game. And when I say cleanse the game, something like that is just something stupid, a little tap like that,” insisted O’Connor.

But speaking to RTÉ on the Allianz League Sunday show, recently retired Cork hurler Patrick Horgan was inclined to disagree with his former teammate.

“He has a point on a lot of things, with the head contact though not so much,” began Horgan.

'We're not looking to take physicality out of things'

Patrick Horgan and Ursula Jacob have their say on Ben O'Connor's comments after Cork beat Tipperary

You can watch the full discussion here: https://t.co/4hQY7j6oKG pic.twitter.com/vNY9SWsOCi

— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) February 8, 2026

“It’s something that can’t come into the game. Now more than ever the players are stronger, fitter, more powerful than ever before.

“They’re moving at a really fast speed so any kind of collision at all can be dangerous. Out of all his comments, that was the only one he might take back with connection to the head.

“I don’t know, he might not. (A tap to the head) can be very broad.” When asked about how tough it is to be sitting in the studio talking about hurling instead of being out on the pitch representing Cork, Horgan replied: “It’s not hard at all actually.

“I will say they are playing really good hurling. The final took no effect I suppose, and they are playing exactly how they want.

“It’s three games in; we can only judge them from what we’ve seen like. They’ve played good hurling, exactly how they planned to play, fast, moving the ball around quick, support runners off the shoulder, high scores, so it’s going well so far.”

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