Bowled over

A four year battle with a recurring ankle injury came to a head for Galway star Michael Meehan when he took the tough decision to announce his departure from inter-county football last weekend.

The attacking ace told Tribune Sport yesterday that he had been overwhelmed by the messages of support he had received from all over the country since he confirmed his decision to step down from the county panel.

Meehan (29) is considered to be among the greatest forwards the county ever produced despite having his appearances in the maroon jersey limited due to the ankle injury sustained in a Connacht championship defeat to Sligo in 2010.

He played brilliantly in Galway’s last championship outing – an All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Cork at Croke Park last summer – but has not been available for selection in 2014.

The “irreparable damage” to his ankle has been a source of huge frustration to the Caltra club-man over the past four years.

“The reaction has been phenomenal,” he told Tribune Sport. “It is encouraging for me to have received so many good wishes. It means a lot to me. Thankfully, the first period of my career was injury-free, but this injury has been just teething along for the last four years.

“Injuries are just part and parcel of the life of a Gaelic footballer. I’ve had great medical support and in the last four years we have managed it well, together with the Galway management team.”

Meehan is hopeful that a break from inter-county football will give him the time he needs to make a slow recovery and perhaps give him a chance to return to playing club football with Caltra at some stage.

“Last year was a good year for me because I got to play a lot of football, but it gets to the stage where it becomes frustrating. Looking back, it just took a lot out of the ankle. The damage done is irreparable. Making this decision just seemed to be the right thing to do. I’m a long way away from getting anywhere near inter-county football at the minute,” he said.

Less than two weeks ago, he celebrated the tenth anniversary of his club’s thrilling 2004 All-Ireland victory over An Gaeltacht of Kerry with his former team-mates.

“My future is very much unknown at this stage,” he said. “I am hoping to try to get back to playing with the club this year, but the best thing for me to do now is step aside from the Galway set-up and, hopefully, let things settle.”

Meehan first came to prominence as an outstanding captain on the St Jarlath’s College side who captured the All-Ireland title in 2002 and he went on to win an All-Ireland U-21 medal with the county as an 18-year old later that year. He is currently working as a teacher at St Jarlath’s.

Michael made his senior debut for the Tribesmen as a teenager in 2003, having seen his older brothers Tomás and Declan win All-Irelands under John O’Mahony in 1998 and 2001.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.