Aidan Fogarty (Kilkenny hurler)

Aidan Fogarty (born 20 July 1982) is an Irish hurler who played as a left corner-forward for the Kilkenny senior team.

Born in Urlingford, County Kilkenny, Fogarty first arrived on the inter-county scene at the age of twenty-one when he first linked up with the Kilkenny intermediate team, before later joining the under-21 side.

In 2000 Fogarty was in his last year with the Emeralds minor hurling team when he played in the championship decider.

A 1-12 to 0-7 defeat of Shamrocks gave him a championship medal.

The following year Fogarty had established himself on Emeralds top team.

A 3-11 to 1-11 defeat of Windgap in the junior decider gave him a championship medal in that grade.

He joined the senior panel during the 2003 championship.

Fogarty quickly became a regular member of the starting fifteen, and won five All-Ireland medals, four Leinster medals and three National League medals on the field of play.

He was an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

As a member of the Leinster inter-provincial team on a number of occasions, Fogarty won three Railway Cup medals.

At club level he has won one junior championship medal with Emeralds.

Throughout his career Fogarty made 38 championship appearances.

Fogarty first played for Kilkenny in 2003 when he joined the under-21 side.

He won his sole Leinster medal that year following a 0-12 to 1-4 defeat of Dublin.

Kilkenny later faced Galway in the All-Ireland decider, beating them with on a scoreline of 2-13 to 0-12, and giving Fogarty an All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship medal.

That same year Fogarty was a member of the Kilkenny intermediate team.

He won a Leinster medal that year following a 4-20 to 1-10 win over Dublin in the decider.

Kilkenny were later beaten 1-21 to 0-23 by Cork in the All-Ireland decider.

Fogarty was still eligible for the under-21 grade when he was added to the Kilkenny senior panel in 2003.

That year he shared in his county's National Hurling League, Leinster and All-Ireland triumphs, however, Fogarty was yet to make his debut.

On 13 June 2004, Fogarty made his senior championship debut when he was introduced as a substitute in a 2-15 to 1-16 Leinster semi-final defeat by Wexford.

Kilkenny were later defeated by Cork in the All-Ireland decider, however, Fogarty remained on the bench for that 0-17 to 0-9 loss.

In 2006 Fogarty won his first National League medal on the field of play following a 3–11 to 0–14 victory over Limerick.

On 3 September 2006 Kilkenny faced a Cork team who were presented with the opportunity to become the first side in nearly thirty years to secure three successive All-Ireland championships.

Like previous encounters neither side took a considerable lead, however, Kilkenny had a vital goal from Fogarty.

Cork were in arrears coming into the final few minutes, however, Ben O'Connor scored a late goal for Cork.

It was too little too late as the Cats denied Cork on a score line of 1-16 to 1-13.

Fogarty collected his first All-Ireland medal on the field of play.

He was later named man of the match.

On 2 September 2007 Kilkenny faced defeated Munster finalists and surprise All-Ireland semi-final winners Limerick in the championship decider.

Kilkenny got off to a flying start with Eddie Brennan and Henry Shefflin scoring two goals within the first ten minutes to set the tone.

Limerick launched a second-half comeback, however, "the Cats" were too powerful and cruised to a 2-19 to 1-15 victory.

It was Fogarty's second All-Ireland medal.

Kilkenny secured the Leinster crown in 2008, with Fogarty collecting a first winner's medal on the field of play following a 5-21 to 0-17 defeat of Wexford.

On 8 September 2008 Kilkenny faced Waterford in the All-Ireland decider for the first time in forty-five years.

In a disappointingly one-sided final, Kilkenny produced a near perfect seventy minutes as Waterford endured a nightmare afternoon.

A 23-point winning margin, 3-24 from play, only two wides in the entire match and eight scorers in all with Eddie Brennan and Henry Shefflin leading the way in a 3-30 to 1-13 victory.

It was Fogarty's third All-Ireland medal.

He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on 26 November 2014.

In 2020, Fogarty appeared on the fourth season of the Irish edition of Dancing with the Stars.