Advertisement
Cork's Colm O'Neill celebrates scoring the final point of the game. ©INPHO/Donall Farmer
Back in action

After three torn cruciates, two points from play make one Cork footballer a happy man

Colm O’Neill made his long-awaited comeback from injury on Saturday night in Croke Park.

COLM O’NEILL WAS given a heads up last week. After being named on the Cork bench for the second league game in a row, he was told by manager Brian Cuthbert that he was in line to get some game time.

On Saturday night, he was thrust into the action midway through the second-half at Croke Park. It was a fortnight shy of a year since he tore his cruciate ligament for a third time, so this was a clear milestone.

“I was excited, nervous, every kind of feeling really. I was hoping to get a couple of games with my club before playing with Cork. But the last two weekends, they were called off. I was getting a bit frustrated and a bit uneasy.

“I got the call and then came on after 50 minutes. I was wondering was the ball ever going to come down to me as it didn’t cross the line for around five or ten minutes.”

When the ball did come his way down near Hill 16, he capitalized. O’Neill’s very first touch of the ball saw him clip over a neat point. Then he notched an even better one with the final kick of the game.

“Today should give him huge confidence because he won the game for us really”, stated manager Brian Cuthbert. “Our group needs him. He’s a special player and I’m absolutely over the moon for him.

“I was a selector last year and I was in the dressing-room at half-time against Donegal when he was inconsolable because he knew himself that the ACL was gone.

“All he wants is like every other boy in the country – to play football. I spoke to his mom and dad afterwards and they’re on tenterhooks every time he goes out now.”

Brian Cuthbert Cork manager Brian Cuthbert. ©INPHO / Donall Farmer ©INPHO / Donall Farmer / Donall Farmer

It was a long and arduous road to Saturday night’s comeback for O’Neill.

“It’s been a bit longer this time”, admitted the 25 year-old. “Maybe the severity or my own caution held things back. I didn’t think I’d feature at all in the league. I’ve a very good medical team around me, the doctors and masseurs.

“There’s been a lot of late nights and early mornings in the gym in Pairc Ui Chaoimh. It’s all worthwhile for nights like this. Colin Lane (Cork physio) has been phenomenal. Lot of credit must go to him.”

As tough as recovery was, O’Neill never considered pulling the plug on his career.

“Several people have asked me are you going to come back. For me it was a stupid question, I’m still only 25. When I was down in the gym in Pairc Ui Chaoimh and I saw the lads out training, I could see what I was coming back for.

“It is a severe injury but it doesn’t have to end your career. You need patience and need to work hard. There’s no quick fix. You just have to bide your time and do your rehab.

“I was thinking about it until I got the first ball on Saturday. Then you don’t have time to think about it. You’re just going on instinct then. Hopefully I’ll see the back of these injuries now.”

Colm O’Neill back in action to help Cork defeat Dublin at Croke Park

5 talking points after Cork and Dublin’s Croke Park battle last night

Your Voice
Readers Comments
2
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.