The Hop Ball - Episode 7: Coman Goggins

Coman Goggins, the man who captained Dublin to Leinster SFC honours in 2002, is this Wednesday's guest for Episode 7 of 'The Hop Ball' (7pm), the new Dubs TV series, sponsored by AIG.

Hosted by 2011 All-Ireland SFC winner, Eamon Fennell, the Ballinteer clubman reflects on his club and intercounty days, in a career that saw him collect four Leinster SFC medals (2002, 2005, 2006, 2007).

When Coman captained Dublin to provincial honours in 2002 it was the first time the county had succeeded in Leinster since 1995.

In the hour-long interview Coman looks back primarily on his days in blue under the different management teams of Tommy Carr, Tommy Lyons and Paul 'Pillar' Caffrey,  but also his club days with Ballinteer St John's and a short spell (minor) with Kilmacud Crokes.

He played 74 (combined NFL/SFC) times for the Dubs at senior level following two seasons with the Dublin juniors (1998, 1999).

His rise to Dublin senior ranks also, in some way, mirrored the rise of his club, Ballinteer St John's, up through the league divisions and championships.

"Ballinteer was only founded in the '80s, it was a young enough club but they had built up through the age groups and so in the early to mid-90s we started drifting through junior leagues.

"I did my Leaving Cert in '95 and drifted into what was the junior team at that time, and that team was full of bearded men," he jokes.

Coman was part of a Ballinteer side that eventually made it all the way to senior championship status having conquered all before them in the junior and then senior ranks.

"There were plenty of guys capable of playing (intercounty), luckily two (along with Johnny McNally) of us got there in the end."

Coman made his Dublin SFC debut against Wexford in 2000 and recounts that week and the moment manager Tommy Carr informed him of his selection.

"The thing that you have dreamt about is suddenly happening," he recalls.

Coman was the first Ballinteer St John's clubman to represent the county in senior championship while with the club.

While he had to wait until 2002 for Leinster honours he was selected at corner-back on the 2001 All Star team, Dublin's sole representative that year, made all the more impressive as Dublin had finished fifth in Division 1 of NFL, been beaten by Meath in the Leinster final and were knocked out of championship after an All-Ireland quarter-final replay defeat to Kerry in Semple Stadium, Thurles.