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Paul Conroy reveals Seamus Coleman's support after double leg break

GAA Ambasadóir na Gaeilge and Galway and St James' footballer Paul Conroy at the GAA Ambasadóir na Gaeilge launch at Croke Park in Dublin. 

GAA Ambasadóir na Gaeilge and Galway and St James' footballer Paul Conroy at the GAA Ambasadóir na Gaeilge launch at Croke Park in Dublin. 

By John Harrington

Galway footballer, Paul Conroy, has revealed that Irish International football captain, Seamus Coleman, was a great source of reassurance and advice when he suffered a double leg-break in 2019.

Conroy, speaking yesterday at his announcement as the GAA’s new Ambasadóir na Gaeilge, broke both his legs in the 2018 All-Ireland SFC against Kerry when he collided with Kerry’s Seán O’Shea.

Donegal native Coleman, himself a talented Gaelic footballer in his youth with Killybegs, had broken one of his own legs in similar fashion a year previously when playing for Ireland against Wales, and he made it his business to get in touch with Conroy.

“He gave me a ring because he had a similar injury, and things like that help you along the way," said Conroy.

“He had seen it in the media and he gave me a ring which was brilliant. He reached out to me on Instagram and gave me a shout and offered his support. I was well impressed with that, I've been shouting a bit for Everton ever since!

“He left himself very open for questions which you kind of wouldn't expect off a professional footballer. I don't know why you wouldn't expect it, but you'd just think they wouldn't reach out to someone in the West of Ireland. But he did, fair play to him.”

Conroy’s injuries confined him to a wheelchair for a period and he didn’t recover in time to feature for Galway in the 2019 provincial and All-Ireland championships, but he nevertheless always managed to remain pragmatic throughout his rehabilitation.

“It was difficult for the first while until you get a bit of strength back,” he says. “One of the breaks on the right leg wasn't overly bad. It was a hairline fracture. So after a couple of weeks I could put weight on that. But I was going around in a wheelchair for a while. When you say breaking two legs it doesn't sound like something that would happen in football.

“It's tough, but it’s not the end of the world when you know you're coming out of it. I always say that we're blessed to be playing inter-county football. A lot of people go through a lot worse stuff whether it's illnesses or things like that.

“I just kind of got on with it and it was fine because bones will heal. I got over it fairly quickly and was happy out to go back training and do the rehab.

"I'd still say I’d prefer to go through what happened me rather than pulling your hamstring every year or for a couple of weeks every year. It's something that happened and I think I came on from it.

“I’ve been enjoying my football ever since. It almost felt like a bit of break throughout the middle of your career which is probably no harm when it's such a long one.”

Paul Conroy in action for Galway against Roscommon. 

Paul Conroy in action for Galway against Roscommon. 

Conroy certainly looks like a player enjoying his football at the moment because he’s been outstanding so far for Galway in their Allianz Football League Division 2 campaign.

If they can defeat Offaly in Sunday’s rearranged Round 3 clash it’ll be four wins from four and promotion back to Division 1 will be very much an attainable goal.

Conroy is encouraged by their start to the season, and hopes by the time they play Mayo in the Connacht SFC Quarter-Final on April 24 they’ll have even further wind in their sails.

“Yeah, a good start,” he says. “Three from three. I suppose it was disappointing getting the Offaly game called off, but it's been a good start, we can't complain. We've a busy schedule now in the coming weeks, five games in a row including the game last Saturday.

“That's going to be a busy time so hopefully we can stay injury-free and keep driving things on.

“We're playing Mayo in eight weeks and momentum is really important and that's why there's probably more emphasis on the League this year. You obviously want to be getting some momentum, find your strongest 20 players, and see what works best for you.”

Conroy was speaking yesterday at his announcement as the GAA’s new Ambasadóir na Gaeilge, a new role the secondary school Irish team is hugely enthusiastic about.

“It's a big honour for me to be an ambassador for the Irish language and the GAA,” he says.

“I'm immersed in the Irish language with school and TG4 so it's something I really enjoy and do my best to try to promote because it needs promotion.

“The big thing for me is to encourage people to talk and not to be afraid to make a mistake. I think an awful lot of people understand what you're saying but maybe don't know how to answer back so I think it's good to encourage people to do that.”