HE’S TON OF THE BOYS
John’s gone from assistant kitman to forward line
WHILE John Hetherton isn’t quite carrying the Dublin attack these days, it’s a long way from when he was carrying the hurleys and water. Though just 26, Hetherton (left) is almost a 10-year veteran of the Dublin senior hurling camp having been part of the extended backroom team during Anthony Daly’s tenure. The Clare man appointed Hetherton’s father Ciaran (inset, with Johnny Mccaffrey after 2011 NHL final) as a selector and the kitman at the time, Ray Finn, drafted the then teenager in to help out.
“I would have always tagged along to the matches with Dad and stuff and then Ray just needed a hand, a dig out, a few times and I think he had a few people in with him here and there,” Hetherton explains.
“I just done the hurls for them or just done the water for them on the line. I was happy to help in any way and then as time went on, just stepped away from it when I kind of thought that I could have been in myself.”
The time that he had on the fringes of the set up was the best that Dublin hurling had known in decades as they won a League title in 2011 followed by a Leinster Championship two years later, though 2013 can also be viewed as a missed opportunity given how open the All-ireland race was come the semi-final stage.
“Yeah, definitely. 2013 was up for grabs for anyone really. It could have went either way with decisions on the day and Cork ended up getting the toss of the ball if you like and they went on and ran Clare close at the replay and stuff.”
Hetherton was 21 by what proved to be the final year of Daly’s tenure in 2014 and having played at underage level for the county by then, was emerging as a prospect for the seniors.
“I was obviously always happy out to help and stuff and growing up I would have played with a lot of the lads and would have been close to them.
“I wanted to give it a chance myself and if I was good enough, I was good enough.
“Not that I stepped away. A time came where I was asked to go for trainings or try out for games.” It wasn’t until 2017 that Hetherton made his SHC debut though he says he never engaged in banter with his father about not adding him to the panel while working under Daly.
“No, I wouldn’t go down that route! I’d know what the answer would be anyway! There’d be a bit of slagging around the house.”