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The Sporting Life

Episode 6: Tom Higgins in conversation with Kieran O'Connor

Episode 6: Tom Higgins in conversation with Kieran O'Connor
Mary O'Neill
Mary O'Neill
On this week's The Sporting Life WLR's Big Match commentator Kieran O Connor sits down to chat to Tom Higgins, a man who was there for all the highs and lows of Waterford hurling spanning 32 years.
Galway native Dr. Tom Higgins joined the Waterford backroom team when Seamus Power was manager.
He continued to work with the Deise hurlers under managers Joe McGrath, Georgie Leahy, Tony Mansfield, Gerald McCarthy, Justin McCarthy, and Davy Fitz.
Tom told Kieran that when Davy Fitz first came to Waterford, the reception was not what the Clare man may have initially hoped for.
"He brought us all into the room together. Not the selectors now, the backroom team. We were all there anyway. He was saying to Roger, the kitman that he wanted new towels, fresh shorts, fresh socks, fresh tops and shampoo - and I want it there, at the ready, for every player. This was before each training session. I could see Roger's eyes out in stalks, is all I could say."
Dr. Higgins admitted that himself and Davy never really saw eye to eye as such.
"Ah sure, not really no. I always felt he was slightly narcissistic. It's the Davy show. Of all the managers that have been here, and I think it's twelve that I worked with, he was the most difficult to deal with. Maybe, I was fed up with it at that stage anyway. We had a difference of opinion at a training session, and I think I told him to go back to Clare for himself, with a few expletives thrown in! He made peace with me though."
You can listen to the full interview with Tom through the link in this podcast.
For all The Sporting Life podcasts, click here. 
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