After long, lonely road, Wexford’s inpsirational Liam Óg McGovern gets redemption day in Croker

Liam Óg McGovern has had a number of opportunities to raise the white flag.

July 9, 2016 and the St Anne's Rathangan forward was at the peak of his powers. Wexford beat Cork by three points that day to seal their first championship win over the Rebels in 60 years. McGovern was inspired, the spring heeled road runner hitting two points and running Christopher Joyce ragged. Waterford won well next day though and Liam Dunne lost his job. All was not lost in Wexford hurling however. This was a watershed year and with the murmurs of a certain Davy Fitzgerald's arrival circling, it was an exciting winter in the county. McGovern was at the centre of it all. His first meeting with the Clare man would be a sheepish one, unfortunately. Liam Óg hopped into the Seafield hotel on crutches having ruptured his cruciate ligament in a club game that August. Davy Fitz' had a hold over them immediately that day though and McGovern was intent on getting to work. The long, lonely by-road of a dreaded cruciate passed with hard-work and perspiration and this dedicated hurler was back in the game. The summer of 2017 and Wexford were going well. 11 months on from the tear and the lonely gym sessions and discomforting quiet were behind him. Kilkenny were coming to town and McGovern was right in the mix. He didn't deserve the hand the Saturday prior was about to deal. A 15 on 15 training game and Liam Óg was flying again. Felt back to normal, took his marker Simon Donohue for a few runs. One of them would prove disastrous. A stray step and an unwelcome pop. Snap and the cruciate was gone again, the same right leg and he must have wondered if he'd make it back again.

"Liam Óg could easily have thrown in the towel with the knee problems he had but it wouldn't be in him, he's one of the most committed men in our club," said Thomas Ryan from St Anne's Rathangan to us last week.

McGovern kept chasing the dream. Two years on from the first scar, he came off the bench against Offaly in the 2018 championship. Down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh in the quarter final and he'd make his first start under Davy. 2019 was the year. The League passed by quickly and Liam Óg did well but it was all about the championship. First day out against Dublin and he buried home a comeback sparking goal against Dublin. Game on. He impressed again against Kilkenny in Wexford Park. The blistering pace mightn't be the same but McGovern has adapted his game. With the clever hurling brain like he has, it wasn't going to be too difficult. The Leinster final against Kilkenny - the final he'd always dreamed of and he was in the centre of it in midfield. He dominated his patch with his clever touches, sharp hand and elusive running leaving Kilkenny men for dead. He set up scores for many and hit the second last point of the day, a corker from the middle. Wexford went wild.

"There is nothing that can't be achieved in life, or nothing that can't be done," said Davy Fitzgerald afterwards.

You can imagine what he was telling Liam Óg through the quiet days. A feel-good story for a man who deserved it.