By John Harrington
He’ll turn 35 in April, but O’Loughlin Gaels sharpshooter, Mark Bergin, is arguably playing the best hurling of his career.
He’s scored 45 points in his team’s last five victories going back to the Kilkenny SHC Final win over Ballyhale Shamrocks.
13 of those have come from play, and his accuracy under pressure from placed balls has been pivotal to his team’s progression to Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland Club Final against St. Thomas’.
Quite often when you talk to players in the twilight of their careers they’ll tell you that they feel the pressure to perform greater than ever because they have a keen appreciation of how high the stakes are, concerns about their continued ability to perform at the highest level, and an awareness that the window of opportunity is closing with every game they play.
But Bergin doesn’t seem at all burdened like that. If anything, he looks more relaxed than ever on a hurling pitch.
“Yeah, for me it's gone the other way,” he says. “I feel less pressure as I grow older. I think it helps as well that there's an awful lot of leaders around our team.
“You look at Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler, Paddy Deegan, Conor Heary...these lads are representing the club with Kilkenny and are our leaders in the team and I just try to row in behind them.
“I'm just really enjoying it and just taking it year on year. I don't know when my last year is going to be. But, obviously, it's extra-special this year. It's extra-special when you get older and you win Kilkenny championships and Leinster championships because it means so much.
“Maybe it's that bit of maturity, but you can see how much it means to other people and to your family as well. That gives you a great buzz and a great kick.”
By John Harrington
He’ll turn 35 in April, but O’Loughlin Gaels sharpshooter, Mark Bergin, is arguably playing the best hurling of his career.
He’s scored 45 points in his team’s last five victories going back to the Kilkenny SHC Final win over Ballyhale Shamrocks.
13 of those have come from play, and his accuracy under pressure from placed balls has been pivotal to his team’s progression to Sunday’s AIB All-Ireland Club Final against St. Thomas’.
Quite often when you talk to players in the twilight of their careers they’ll tell you that they feel the pressure to perform greater than ever because they have a keen appreciation of how high the stakes are, concerns about their continued ability to perform at the highest level, and an awareness that the window of opportunity is closing with every game they play.
But Bergin doesn’t seem at all burdened like that. If anything, he looks more relaxed than ever on a hurling pitch.
“Yeah, for me it's gone the other way,” he says. “I feel less pressure as I grow older. I think it helps as well that there's an awful lot of leaders around our team.
“You look at Huw Lawlor, Mikey Butler, Paddy Deegan, Conor Heary...these lads are representing the club with Kilkenny and are our leaders in the team and I just try to row in behind them.
“I'm just really enjoying it and just taking it year on year. I don't know when my last year is going to be. But, obviously, it's extra-special this year. It's extra-special when you get older and you win Kilkenny championships and Leinster championships because it means so much.
“Maybe it's that bit of maturity, but you can see how much it means to other people and to your family as well. That gives you a great buzz and a great kick.”
Test 3
