Offaly football star describes devastation as the latest victim of the cruciate curse

Pop

Anybody that has ever suffered a bad injury on a sports field knows its the sound that alerts you first to how bad the damage is. No audible noise and it could just be ligaments or maybe a bad sprain. However a crack or the dreaded pop as ligaments shred from bone is the sound no sportsperson wants to hear. Offaly's Paraic Sullivan went under the knife on Friday to try and begin the process of recovery after he ruptured his ACL at the end of March. The inter-county star was the fourth player last month alone to be struck down with the most devastating knee injury around. It's also the second time in his career that Sullivan has suffered the injury. https://twitter.com/SullivanParaic/status/589009175130288128 Ahead of the surgery the Rhode clubman has begun his own blog called 'onlytwiceplease' and it makes for some fascinating reading for those who have gone through the injury, and also for those who have been fortunate to avoid what was once a career-ending surgery. The Offaly man describes the moment he knew his season was over when he hurt his knee in a challenge game for his club:

"It was late in the first half of the game and while putting in a tackle to an opponent, I moved in to apply pressure on him and as he past me, I turned to go after him and ended up pivoting on my right leg and hyper extended my knee as my boot planted itself in the mucky turf…and POP! "There it was again, that pain I thought I’d never have to endure more than once in my lifetime. What followed was a barrage of screaming and unavoidable profanities. I knew straight away what had happened. You don’t forget that pain."

The soldier describes his emotional state as he knows his season is over  and the fear of what lies ahead in his recovery:

"One sudden movement like a sniper had pinpointed my knee, down I fell and immediately I was immersed in pain. I can’t describe it but the word excruciating comes to mind when I reflect back. Immediately, I knew that it was the last ball I would kick in 2015. Reality is a bitch! "As any athlete knows, sport has the ability to lead you on a journey of endless possibilities and with my club Rhode and Offaly the rollercoaster was certainly eventful. Now, the rollercoaster has closed because now the rollercoaster has ruptured A.C.L, damaged cartilage and torn meniscus, to re-open in 2016 after lengthy repairs."

Sullivan goes onto describe how a meeting with the doctor and the Offaly physio gave him hope that he may not have done the ultimate damage to his knee. However on his way to the Santry Sports clinic for the MRI, he hears that Eoghan O'Gara of Dublin has also ruptured his ACL. Sullivan prays to avoid the same fate,

"A visit to my G.P the next day gave me a glimmer of hope which was followed shortly by a visit to the Offaly physio and my hope was enhanced by what seemed was good news. "A series of their tests showed very good strength and that I had full power and good rotation in my injured knee. "After five long days, I travelled to Santry Sports Clinic early on a Tuesday morning for the MRI scan. In the car 2fm informs me that Dublin sharpshooter Eoghan O’Gara had ruptured his A.C.L and I prayed that my tests that day wouldn’t reveal the same for me. "It is the unknowns that thwart our mind. Let’s get it done, deal with outcome – that was where I was at that point. As I have done the cruciate before, walking into the doctors office for the results felt like walking the plank. Was I goosed?"

The good news is that Pauric has come through his surgery today and there will be more updates on his blog as he continues his recovery from the knee injury. We hope to see him line out for club and county in the near future. You can follow Paraic's recovery on his blog here