James O'Donoghue on course for summer return

By Peter Sweeney

James O'Donoghue's recovery from shoulder surgery is going quicker than expected, but we are still unlikely to see him in Kerry colours before the Munster Championship in June.

The current Footballer of the Year has been sidelined since going under the knife at the Sports Surgery Clinic in Dublin back in November.

Surgeon Hannah Mullett says the Killarney man will be back in action quicker than was originally expected at the time of the operation.

The latter stages of the Allianz League are likely to come too soon for him though, so a Munster semi-final away date against either Tipperary or Waterford on June 14 should be his first taste of action.

"I'm going back up to the hospital on Monday," he explained. "My surgeon is going to tell me and I think he is saying about eight or ten weeks and I can go back into contact.

"So depending on what Éamonn (Fitzmaurice, Kerry manager) thinks probably 12 weeks before I am playing again. It's not too bad and will come around fairly lively so I am happy enough.

"The League is out for me I'd say unless we get to a final or a semi-final and my rehab is going very well they might give me a few minutes maybe.

"I am not even sure to be honest but in my head I am ruling out the League and hopefully getting ready for the Championship."

O'Donoghue has a long history of shoulder complaints, having dislocated both as a youngster.

He got his left side sorted out a few years ago and he is now hoping that his right will be just as strong following surgery over the winter.

The brilliant left-footed corner-forward admits that he has been a terrible patient and he doesn't like watching his Kingdom team mates from the stands.

So far they lost their Division I opener to Mayo in Killarney and bounced back with a win on the road over Derry.

Next up is Dublin at home on Sunday week where a win over their old rivals would leave them well placed for a push towards the play-offs.

"It's terrible; cat!" he laughed about having to watch from the sidelines.

"You are completely out of the loop, out of the craic of the group and things like that which is tough.

"The only good thing is that in Fitzgerald Stadium the gym actually overlooks the training field and the guys will be running around in the muck and the gutter and the puddles and I will be up in the warm gym!

"It's lonely enough doing nothing so I am looking forward to that being over."

This time last year O'Donoghue spoke about his burning desire to win his first senior All-Ireland title.

He was jolted by the realisation that, at the time, he was a quiz question - name the two Kerry footballers to have won an All Star, but not an All-Ireland. He was one half of that duo.

Now though he has that medal in his pocket and the Footballer of the Year award to go with it.

"I should never have said that - I should have kept my mouth shut because it was only a bit of craic!" he smiled "But I'm glad I said it and I'm glad it's over.

"That's last September. We're looking forward to the summer, hopefully back-to-back. That would be fantastic. Then you're a very good team so that's our goal. We've forgotten about last year already."

Even given the fact that he is no longer a quiz question, he occasionally worries that he might not get his place back in the team on his return to full fitness.

Colm Cooper will be back after missing last year through injury and Tommy Walsh continues his reintroduction to football after ending his stint in Australia with the Sydney Swans, meaning competition for the six forwards' jerseys will be fierce.

"That's always the case but you have to completely forget about it and trust yourself that when you do come back that you are going to be in good enough nick to get a spot in the team," he said.

"You have got to back yourself, I suppose, and if you have any doubts about that you are in trouble. You have got to tell yourself in your head that you are going to get back on the team so that is what I am going to try and do."

---