Leader of the pack

JOHN Culkin’s hurling career has almost come full circle.
Sixteen years have passed since he climbed the steps of the Hogan Stand as a fresh faced Galway minor captain and the full-back will return with his club mates for a shot at another All-Ireland title at Croke Park.
Back then Fergal Moore, Damien Hayes, Kevin Brady, David Forde and Richard Murray were among his teammates as they defeated a Tipperary side containing Eoin Kelly.
He’s 34 now with a young family and as a medical rep with orthopaedic company Lynch Medical, Culkin’s day job brings with it plenty of mileage from his home between Monivea and Ryehill covering the west from Galway to Derry.
On Sunday, he’ll lead a team out on to the hallowed turf at GAA headquarters and it’s an unexpected opportunity he’s more than relishing.