Crushing Blow for Limerick

[Burner]

John Galvin has been ruled out for the season with a cruciate Knee ligament injury. Absolutely devestating and it could be the last we see of a truely brilliant Midfielder.

Gutted doesnt even come close.

[AZOffaly]

Brutal news. I wish him all the best in his recovery. I hope this is not the way he goes out, he deserves to walk off the field after a championship game.

[Kerry Mike]

very sad news, great player, hope he makes it back but the years are going against him quickly now

[Hardy]

That's a pity. He's one of the players I look forward to watching perform every year.

[Nally Stand]

That's a pity. He's one of the players I look forward to watching perform every year.

+100

[orangeman]

Horrible injury.

[trileacman]

bollix. He's a great man to watch.

[AZOffaly]

No need for the edit tileacman. We knew what you meant

[INDIANA]

Most under -rated midfielder ever. If he played for Kerry he'd have at least 5 allstars. Brilliant player.

[thejuice]

thats a great pity for all of football not just limerick. Hell of a player. And I saw it first hand a few times unfortunately from a Meath point of view. 

Hope he has a full recovery, fingers crossed.

[magpie seanie]

Agree with the sentiments above, a truly brilliant player that I love seeing play.

[Kerry Mike]

LIMERICK midfielder John Galvin last night vowed to return to inter-county football next season after becoming the latest high-profile GAA star to have his 2011 season wrecked by cruciate ligament damage.

Galvin's worst fears were confirmed yesterday that the injury he incurred to his knee during a challenge match against Down last Sunday will sideline him for the remainder of this year. The news is a huge blow to the Shannonsiders' prospects ahead of a Munster semi-final meeting with Kerry or Tipperary on June 4.

But despite the massive personal setback, Galvin is adamant his senior career is not over and he is already targeting a comeback during next year's national league campaign.

"At my age it is certainly harder to come back. I'm going to be 31 in July and 32 during next year's campaign. But the other side of it is that a year off will give my body a chance to regenerate.

"I'm hoping to get a couple games in the national league next year and have a go at championship again. I've always had massive motivation for Limerick football and that hasn't changed now. I'd be hoping that time next year I'll be preparing to play for the county in championship and then I can give it another year or two after that."

After learning the results of the initial scan on his left knee on Tuesday, Galvin saw Dr Ray Moran on Wednesday but his hopes of a quick recovery were quashed by the renowned surgeon. "I met Ray to see was there any chance but all hope was destroyed at this stage. There was tears and cursing then.

"You go through a lot of emotions in your head and it was absolutely devastating to hear. No matter when it happens, it's hard as you're out for a season. But now when you've most of the training done, it's very tough to take. The build up to championship is always the best time of the season.

"It's a disaster but over the last 24 hours, acceptance has started to set in. This is my 13th season and I've had a fairly good, injury-free career. Everyone gets caught at some stage and unfortunately my time is now.

"I've to wait for the swelling to go down before the operation and there's no definite date for it yet. But there isn't a massive need to get it done straight away. As long as I'm back by February or March next year, then I'll be happy enough."

[Kerry Mike]

The scans revealed the thing I feared the most' By Fintan O'Toole - Friday, May 20, 2011

IT was a passage of play similar to thousands John Galvin has been involved in his career.

Last Sunday a ball dropped from the sky around midfield in the Fingallians GAA club in Swords in Dublin as Galvin was in action for Limerick in a senior football challenge game against Down. The Croom man rose to gather possession but collided with an opponent and was left crumpled on the ground, clutching his left knee in serious pain.

"I was going for a ball when a Down player, I can't remember who it was, came in," recalls Galvin.

"He fell over and fell against my left knee, pushing the outside of it inwards. The minute it happened, I went down in agony. There was a doctor there but they just thought it was damage to the cartilage. I got the scan in Dublin on Sunday evening in the Charter Medical Clinic in Smithfield. The staff there were very good and two hours after it had happened, I'd got the scan done."

He spent Monday in a state of anxiety, waiting to discover the results. Waking up Tuesday morning brought renewed hope as the pain had subsided and dreaded thoughts that his cruciate had snapped were starting to recede. "It was very nervous waiting around on Monday. But I thought it wasn't the cruciate. The worst I was hoping was that I'd miss the first round of the championship and I'd be there for the rest of the season.

"No matter how the first game went, the second game wouldn't have been to July and I'd have the time to be ready for that. Even if it wascartilage damage, I thought I'd get some surgery and I'd be back soon enough.

"I was talking to Maurice Horan Tuesday morning and I was saying that it had improved an awful lot. I couldn't walk around properly yet I was able to put weight on my knee. But then the scans revealed otherwise and it was the thing I feared the most."

He arranged an appointment with Ray Moran in the Santry Sports Clinic for Wednesday in the faint hope that a quick cure could be found. But Moran confirmed that he would have to go under the knife to repair his knee and after a career that has been free of the scars of injury, months of recuperation now lie ahead.

Despite the initial dejection at that news, Galvin's mood has changed and he is already plotting his comeback route. And while he may not be lording matters at midfield for Limerick this season, that does not mean that he will not be a visible presence in the county setup.

"I am definitely going to stay involved, hopefully as a water boy. At this moment I couldn't run onto a field with water but hopefully by June 4, I'll be in good enough movement to do that. I hope that I'll be able to benefit the team from there, even if it's just roaring at fellas to get into position. I'm still confident that Limerick will do well this season and I'll continue to support the team."

Limerick manager Maurice Horan is in no doubt that Galvin will recover to be a shining light again for the county. "I wouldn't be fearful at all, he's very single-minded and determined. Having spoken to him, he already knows what he needs to do.

"But even despite his own devastation, he's already thinking about the team's focus staying on championship. That's typical of John. It's very tough as he's been such a prominent player for the county and is a huge presence in our dressing-room and on the pitch. It makes things difficult for us but we'll discuss it with the players and drive on from here."

[orchard 8195]

This injury scares the hell outve me as a player. Hope Galvin gets back. Class player who never says die on the pitch.

[CorkMan]

Aww....I was looking forward to watching him destroy a weak Kerry midfield