McDermott on the mend after ACL ‘nightmare’ aiming for an April return

Ronan McDermott is targeting a return to hurling in time for Donegal’s Nickey Rackard campaign.

During last year’s final against Wicklow in the basking Croke Park sunshine on June Bank Holiday weekend, McDermott admitted it was “pure adrenaline” that kept him going.

Having picked up an ACL injury in the first half that day, one that ended with the Garden County winning out on a 1-20 to 3-12 scoreline, he is now undertaking a much more patient approach.

It’s 12 weeks since the operation with Dr Ray Moran, Professor of Orthopaedics and Surgical Biomechanics, at suite five of Santry Sports Clinic. Dr Moran, brother of former Manchester United and Ireland defender Kevin, is known as ‘Dr Cruciate’.

“At the time, I didn’t think it was the serious of an injury,” McDermott, who had joined the 100-club in terms of inter-county appearances in February, says of the Rackard final. “People tend to pick up ACLs twisting and turning but mine was on impact challenging for a ball between two players. At half-time I got it assessed and played on.

“I was fine running straight in the second half, although when I went to take a shot a one stage I felt the knee almost almost collapse. But with it being a final you keep going. Pure adrenaline I suppose”

The last time Donegal and McDermott were in Croke Park was for the ‘Covid final’ of the Nickey Rackard in 2020, which took place in November on the Bloody Sunday centenary weekend. At the height of restrictions when even the closest of family members were forced to watch streams from home, Mickey McCann’s side had trailed by eight at a stage.

However, Joe Boyle’s goal late in the first half had brought Donegal right into it. Then, late goals from Davin Flynn and Richie Ryan – struck within a minute of each other – completed a comeback to claim the trophy for a third time on a 3-18 to 0-21 scoreline.

As strange as it was, with an echoey Croke Park dotted with a handful of people wearing masks in the chill, McDermott left Dublin last June in less peculiar times with much more uncertainty. Obviously disappointed with the result, there was also a cloud hanging over him in regards to the knee injury, with the Donegal SHC on the horizon.

In 2022, his Burt team had run Setanta close, eventually losing the domestic decider in extra-time before the side from the Cross went all the way in the Ulster JHC. McDermott also lines out for the footballers at Hibernian Park.

In that five weeks of uncertainty after Croke Park, McDermott, now 28, worked tirelessly in the gym to build up strength in the legs and quads. Even that though, is more in line with an eye looking forward to recovery rather than prevention of what had happened.

“It was only when I got the scan results then that it was confirmed,” he says. “Nightmare. There’s a lot of them happening these days. The likes of Danny Cullen and Enda McDermott have been there.”

McDermott, a broadband layer whose work could take him anywhere, admits to being “not the best patient.” Days were long at home in Bridgend, where he lives with his girlfriend Leona, who, at least, was working from home and there was company to be had. The instruction was to limited activity and constant ice on an elevated leg for a week or two and then, for a couple of months, McDermott was unable to work and not even permitted to drive.

“Back on the spinning bike and getting there so at least I’m getting out,” he says. “It’s starting to come good but there’s at least five months before I even get into proper running. It’ll be assessed month by month by Donegal physio Colm O’Neill and we’ll see where I’m at. The advice on it is eight months. That’s the bare minimum.

“The Nickey Rackard starts in April and is wrapped up in June so that’s the target for me right now. Last year in the league we made the 2B final, which was a big step, before going down to Meath, and then losing the Rackard final. If we get back into these situations then we may have learned from last year and there’s a good level of confidence on board. It came down to small margins last year.”