Galway's Paul Conroy has revealed that Séamus Coleman played an important role in his recovery from a horrific 2018 leg break.
Conroy was named Footballer of the Year at this month's PwC All-Star Awards after an outstanding season for the Tribesmen, who narrowly lost out to Armagh in July's All-Ireland final.
An outstanding achievement for the 35-year-old, it was made all the more remarkable due to the shocking injury he sustained in the championship six years ago.
Playing for Galway against Kerry in the 2018 "Super 8" All-Ireland quarter-final series in Croke Park, Conroy suffered a double leg break in an unfortunate collision with Seán O'Shea.
15 July 2018; Paul Conroy of Galway receives medical attention during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Quarter-Final Group 1 Phase 1 match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park, Dublin. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
It would rule him out of action for the entirety of the 2019 season, and the road back has been gruelling for the St. James' midfielder.
Appearing on this week's instalment of the BBC's GAA Social, Conroy revealed how Ireland captain Séamus Coleman had reached out to him to help him in his recovery, having suffered a similarly shocking leg break the previous year.
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Paul Conroy recalls Seamus Coleman phone call that helped his recovery from leg break
Paul Conroy was the special guest on this week's GAA Social with Thomas Niblock and Oisín McConville - though the episode was recorded before he was named 2024 Footballer of the Year.
Conroy reflected on his shocking 2018 injury, explaining the extent of damage to his leg caused by what could just as easily have been an innocuous collision.
In 2018, in the Super 8s game against Kerry, I got a double leg break in one leg and a hairline fracture on the other leg in a collision with Seán O'Shea.
It was a kind of wet day in Croke Park and the ball was in between the two of us. Because of the way the weather was, the two of us were thinking the exact same thing and we slid in. I suppose, the anlgeh e hit me at, his knee kind of hit my shins so it was kind of unlucky for me. He was lucky, it could easily have been me hitting him...that was a 12-month injury or an 11-month injury.
It happened in July, I was lucky that the game was in Croke Park so I was in the Mater Hospital in a matter of ten minutes. I had to get surgery the next morning.
My left foot, there was a double leg break on the shin bone. I'm a secondary school teacher, I didn't go back working until January. My wife Caroline was a nurse for a couple of months! I was in a wheelchair for the first while.
It was a harrowing time for the Galway man, who would not return to inter-county action until 2020. However, Conroy received some heartwarming support from Everton and Ireland captain Séamus Coleman.
The year prior, Coleman had suffered a horrifying leg break in Ireland's World Cup qualifier against Wales, fracturing his tibia and fibula and spending almost ten months on the sidelines.
24 March 2017; Seamus Coleman is comforted by teammate Shane Long of Republic of Ireland during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier Group D match between Republic of Ireland and Wales at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile Photo by David Maher/Sportsfile
Among several sportspeople who Conroy leant on during his lengthy layoff, he recalled this week how Coleman took it upon himself to reach out to him and help him with any issues or questions that he had with his recovery.
I kind of just got on with it. I talked to a few people - a couple of rugby players, one or two footballers from Galway as well, Fintán Ó Curraoin had a similar injury before that, and one or two lads who were playing with Connacht at the time.
It was brilliant to chat with them because they had obviously been there. Séamus Coleman as well...he gave me a ring. He had a similar injury.
He sent me a message on Instagram, I sent him my number and he gave me a ring. He was brilliant, just gave him a ring and asked him about the rehab, any questions I had.
Fair play to him, he didn't have to do that at all.
You see a message coming in from Séamus Coleman on Instagram...you're checking to see is it a different Séamus Coleman! It was a nice touch.
As host Thomas Niblock would say, the story is not hugely surprising given the reputation Coleman has in Irish sporting spheres for such gestures.
However, it still reflects wonderfully on the Ireland veteran, as he shared his regrettable experience with Paul Conroy.
Thankfully for the Galway man, his recovery has been successful and he has ended up claiming the highest individual honour in the game after a stellar season for Galway. If he can add Sam Maguire to his trophy cabinet before retirement, he will be a happy man.
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