Damien Comer of Galway in attendance at SuperValu GAA Sponsorship Launch 2019 at D-Light Studios in Dublin. SuperValu today launched their 10th year as sponsor of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship.
By John Harrington
Galway football captain, Damien Comer, admits it’s very unlikely he’ll feature for the Tribesmen in their Connacht SFC Final against Roscommon on Sunday, June 16.
The prolific attacker sustained an ankle fracture playing in a charity soccer match on St. Stephen’s day last year.
“At the moment, yes (I’ll miss it),” said Comer today at Supervalu’s launch of their 10th season as a sponsor of the All-Ireland SFC.
“I can't see myself turning a corner in that space of time, but I won't rule anything out.
“I'd love to get back for it, if I could even get on the bench I'll try, but it will be tight.
"I'm back doing a bit of running, straight-line running. I haven't really put a time-frame on it.
"I'm kind of going by pain-threshold. If it's too sore I take a step back and if it's okay I'll push it on a small bit. That's my gauge. How long it's going to take, I genuinely don't know. Kevin (Walsh) is asking the same question and I can't really answer it.
"I'm just playing it by ear, taking it week by week and see. Hopefully then you turn a corner and next thing you're back in the thick of things.”
Comer’s rehabilitation was delayed because the first scan of the injury didn’t reveal any fracture.
Galway captain Damien Comer pictured after last year's All-Ireland SFC semi-final defeat to Dublin.
It was only in March that he finally underwent surgery, and he admits that delay has been a real source of frustration.
“Yeah, very frustrating,” said Comer. “Initially it was obviously very frustrating and then you're kind of getting back and you think you're back and then the next thing it wasn't improving. Got a scan again and then you find out it's a fracture and that's frustrating.
“And then you're like, right, go into a boot. And then you meet the consultant and the next thing it's surgery and you're like, that's the last thing you wanted. That's really frustrating.
“Then there was obviously the wait to get the surgery done and you're meeting a week, two weeks, three weeks, and all you're thinking is that this is three weeks eating into when I'll be back.
“I went into the surgeon and said, 'Look it, I'm ready to go, if you give me a date tomorrow I'll work with that'. Just basically then once I had that surgery I knew it was done and I had a time-frame. Six weeks in a boot, six weeks after the boot hopefully back running.
“I'm just trying to keep as positive as you can, but it's hard when the lads are training away and you have to focus on your own rehab. It's hard being around that and then trying to do your own stuff.”
Comer looks like he’s out of the Connacht Final but had better news on the prospects of Paul Conroy who suffered a double fracture of his left leg and a hairline fracture of his right-leg in last year’s All-Ireland SFC quarter-final clash with Kerry.
“He played with his club St. James at the weekend,” said Comer.
“That was his first full competitive game. He's back in full training with the lads the last week or two so hopefully he'll be battling for a place on the 26 for the Connacht Final.”
