O’Loughlin Gaels gesture could see a Danesfort captain for Kilkenny

O’Loughlin Gaels have proposed a Danesfort player be nominated as Kilkenny captain in the event Mark Bergin not start.

As is their entitlement as 2016 senior county champions, the Kilkenny city club this week elected Bergin as the man to lead the Cats this year. However, they further recommended that when Bergin doesn’t begin a game a Danesfort man take over the captaincy duties. That may mean Richie Hogan or Paul Murphy is entrusted with leading Kilkenny if and when Bergin is injured or among the substitutes. It is believed Danesfort are considering the offer.

O’Loughlin Gaels’ decision is understood to be an unprecedented call in one of just two counties where the county champions can select the county captain for the following year, Kerry being the other.

Kilkenny have had three “non-playing captains” in recent years. Last season, Lester Ryan lifted the Bob O’Keeffe Cup as Clara team-mate Shane Prendergast did not start in the Leinster final. Ryan was an unused substitute when he captained the county to an All-Ireland title in the 2014 replay win over Tipperary, while Michael Fennelly skippered the Cats to ultimate glory in 2009 having come on a second half substitute against Tipperary.

Clubmate Brian Hogan’s has urged Bergin not to try and ‘reinvent’ himself in the captaincy role. During his year as skipper, former Cats star Hogan lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup and while had admits that the captaincy does bring extra pressure, he’s hoping that Bergin will concentrate primarily on hurling and let the rest take care of itself.

Hogan, a seven-time All-Ireland senior medallist, said: “You’d be lying if you said there’s not a certain amount of extra pressure. It’s a massive honour and it’s about managing it. From a management point of view, it’s very much about not trying to reinvent yourself and being something you’re not. Make sure you’re the best you can be in terms of everything you do.

“There’s no archetypal captain – everyone has their own way of doing things but it does bring a certain amount of pressure, with people talking to you about it, the fact that Mark is 27 is an advantage and while he doesn’t have a lot of inter-county experience, he’s a mature lad and should be able to manage it and see it for what it is.”