BRENDAN BUGLER FIRST knew John Conlon in hurling terms as an attacking team-mate.
When Clare swept to All-Ireland glory 11 years ago, Bugler was part of the Banner half-back trio, Conlon stationed further up the pitch and snapping over a brace of points in that September replay win.
In the autumn of 2017, Bugler called time on his own county playing days. He stepped back into the role of supporter the following season as Conlon produced a series of All-Star wininng displays as the focal point of the Clare forward line.
And then last winter Bugler became a Clare selector, enjoying a front-row seat this year as Conlon’s continued centre-back excellence was a key ingredient in the county’s latest Liam MacCarthy Cup triumph.
Conlon’s adaptability shines through for Bugler, to a sufficient level that he merits consideration in the conversation about the most versatile players the game has seen.
“If you think about it he won an All Star nomination in 2012, he was brilliant. He won an All-Star nomination in 2013, won an All-Ireland as a wing forward.
“Goes up full forward was the focal point, brilliant year, Clare’s best hurler in 2018.
“Then he was asked to go back centre-back, goes and wins his All-Star and wins his All
Ireland now as well. If you think about (it) and everyone puts Brian Corcoran and Tommy Walsh and rightly so in that bracket as the greatest versatile players of all time.
“John Conlon in my eyes has to be up there, (amongst) the greatest versatile players.
“Nationally he’s up there.”
Conlon entered the All-Ireland final under a spotlight given his marker Shane Barrett’s blistering run of form for Cork this summer. But the commanding influence of Clare’s defensive figurehead came to bear.
“We trusted John to go with Shane Barrett and Shane Barrett as everyone knows has savage pace,” says Clare coach Shane Hassett.
“He had a lot of question marks over him this year. Maybe he wasn’t as prominent as he was last year or the year before. But I tell you one thing like he answered every single question.”
Hassett casts his mind back to when the Clare management first decided to shift Conlon back to number six and the responsibility of being the fulcrum of their defence.
“It was my first year. We went up to Corrigan Park and we were bet by Antrim by a point. That was my first game as a Clare coach and John’s first game at centre-back.
“Actually we were all in agreement because John actually would have played centre-back for the club maybe two or three years prior, Sean Stack was the manager.
“You kind of know a hurler when you can see a hurler. A good hurler (that) can read the game can play
centre-back and John obviously reads the game if not better than anyone else.
“So we tried him that time and obviously we came away there with our tail between our legs, but the whole season kind of took off then and we built the team around John, nearly for all the world after
that.”
For Bugler, watching old team-mates climbs the steps of the Hogan Stand again was an experience to savour.
“There was a lot expected after that (win in 2013) and rightly so. The reality is we just didn’t perform for a variety of reasons to be able to live up to expectation, really, really disappointing
“We should have kicked on and we just didn’t keep on. But delighted for Tony and John and Shane and
all the seven lads involved, that they got an opportunity to get back here again and then to experience it again.
“I think they’re going to cherish this one a little bit more. In this championship, it’s hard to win a game, not alone get to a final, not alone win a championship.”
It is not only the Clare players that will cherish this success.
Hassett has put down the hard yards in building Clare up in trying to reach the summit. A native of Drom-Inch in Tipperary, he takes up the tale of how Lohan recruited him.
“Do you remember the day Davy brought LIT out through the bushes in UL? I was in goal for Brian in UL that year (in the Fitzgibbon Cup). I knew him through UL.
“I have a masters in sports science and after Brian’s very first year it was during Covid. I was out for a walk in Castletroy and he pulled up beside me and just asked me ‘how are you getting on, what are you doing and what did you do your masters in?’
“So he was looking for someone to go in on the S&C side so I went and did two years on that side and progressed on to hurling coaching then with Sean Treacy and Sean left last year and Bugs came in.”
Hassett had spent time overseeing UL hurling teams at different levels, a lack of exposure to the county game as a player did not mean he felt his coaching role was daunting.
“No I was never daunted by it, i knew all the lads so I hurled with (Tony) Kelly, Conor Cleary, I hurled with (Cathal) Malone, Paul Flanagan, Jack Browne. I hurled with all these lads playing Fitzgibbon so it was nearly like meeting friends and I knew I had my education so I took it from there really.”
Bugler had been part of the Clare U20 sideline crew for the last two years. When Lohan made the call last November, he answered it and enjoyed promotion to the senior ranks.
“A lot of the lads I have played with I’m very friendly with them, but there was never a problem or a need to distance yourselves from them or anything like that.
“They are top lads, John, Tony, SODS, all these guys/ They are extremely driven and you are getting the chance to work with top quality players, elite players and when that comes it is hard to say no.
“So very proud and great to worked with Shane and Lucas in a coaching capacity in the group, so really thrilled.”
Any comparisons between being a player and a coach for All-Ireland successes are batted away.
“They are both equally special, look it doesn’t matter about being a player or a coach the only thing that matters is Liam MacCarthy. That’s all that matters. Two very special occasions and we don’t win too many so when we do we have to enjoy them.”
