It's been a tough five weeks for Con O'Callaghan.
It's been dark. Strange. Cruel, even.
For five weeks he has toiled and known pure misery. For five weeks he has paid his dues and paid them again never knowing if there'd be any return, never to know if his day would ever come.
But for five weeks, he kept ploughing on through the barren spell and he refused to stop believing.
For five whole weeks, Con O'Callaghan went without winning an All-Ireland title.
At last, on Saturday evening in Portlaoise, the drought ended.
The 22-year-old finally got his hands on All-Ireland glory when it must've felt like he'd never reach those heights.
Cuala reclaimed the club title, beating Na Piarsaigh by a goal in another nail-biting decider and, after coming good at the second time of asking, the wait for O'Callaghan at least is over and the deadly dual forward can retire a happy man because Lord knows he has suffered long enough.
Not since February 17 has that man tasted that kind of victory when UCD clinched the Sigerson Cup title but the wait is over.
It brings O'Callaghan's rap sheet over the last 12 months to ridiculous heights:
- All-Ireland club SHC
- Club hurling player of the season
- U21 Leinster football
- U21 All-Ireland football
- Leinster SFC
- All-Ireland SFC
- All-Star
- Young Footballer of the Year
- Dublin club SHC
- Leinster club SHC
- Sigerson Cup
- All-Ireland club SHC
Two All-Irelands with Dublin in the last 12 months and two with Cuala and one with UCD.
He's almost 23 so he'd want to get moving really if he's going to start filling his trophy cabinet.
