Kilkenny forward Richie Hogan says he has no regrets over putting his teaching career aside to make hurling his top priority until the end of his inter-county career.

The Danesfort man finished up at Belgrove NS in Clontarf, Dublin in Easter 2016 and said he would "gladly sweep the streets for the next 50 years" if it meant him playing for Kilkenny until he was 35.

"It's not even about money at all," the 28-year-old is quoted saying by the Irish Independent. "Some people need money to be able to live that lifestyle and focus on their career, and that's hugely important, and the GPA are doing a huge amount of work on that. It's just not that important to me.

"I remember saying to one of these life coaches, 'If I play to the age of 35 and get absolutely everything out of myself, I will gladly sweep the streets for the next 50 years'. It wouldn't bother me in the slightest.

"But I'm lucky in the sense that I'm a teacher, I'm qualified, I can go and get a job whenever I want, so it shouldn't be that difficult if I ever decide to go back. I'm incredibly lucky that I'm very good with money. I worked for seven years, I saved a huge amount.

"I do a bit with a recruitment company, we recruit teachers to go to the Middle East. That's in its infancy stages so I do a couple of hours a week at that and that's what keeps me going. Right now I'm going on savings alone."

Hogan is set to line-out again for the Cats on Saturday against Limerick in the qualifiers and knows that the Shannonsiders will be no pushover at Nowlan Park.

"Just because they didn't get it right last year or the year before… you know, look at Wexford, just because they didn't get it right… then people say they're gone. They are really going to be a huge challenge for us," he added.

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