IT’S BEEN A frustrating few months for Mayo’s Alan Dillon, having missed a considerable portion of his side’s campaign after incurring an injury that has also affected Richard Dunne and Alan Brogan among others.
Yet despite such problems, the player made an unexpected return to action against Galway back in May, helping his side to secure a comprehensive win, while also featuring in their defeat of Roscommon. Consequently, he is set to start in this weekend’s historic Connacht final against London.
Dillon admits it wasn’t easy at times on account of his difficulties with injury, but says he is now raring to go.
“It was a rough national league for me but since the Galway game, I have got a lot of individual and collective sessions in as well a couple of club championship games. It is full steam ahead for the last couple of weeks.
“It is second nature to a lot of us; this is championship season and this is where we want to be, the body is fit and healthy and there is a good challenge ahead of us come Sunday.”
The star admits he was surprised by the fact that it has been a relatively easy passage to the Connacht final, but suggests their success is as much down to his own team’s excellence, as it is to others’ ineptitude.
Everyone was shocked by the Galway performance that day and I suppose it never has been as easy as it was that day up in Salthill. We brought a serious intensity to that game and Galway could not live with it.
We are at a level where we improved in Division One over the past two seasons and we have reached league semi-finals and finals so we have played at a higher level. It is down to ourselves to maximise the performances in the championship and that is what we intend to do.”
His recovery appeared seamless, based on his impressive display against Galway, but Dillon insists that that was anything but the case.
“It was an injury where you would have some questions about, it is just one of those injuries,” he says. “Thankfully I have put it to bed at this stage but yeah, it was frustrating. I would be a guy who would be in fifth gear most of the time, going a hundred miles an hour. It took a bit of discipline and education for myself in order to learn how to manage things, but now hopefully I have it under control.
“It is the groin and it is a common enough injury now with footballers. Alan Brogan has it, Richard Dunne in soccer has the same injury, and you just have to learn to manage it.
“Recovery is the big one; it is ensuring that you do your rehab correctly and that you recover as best you can after sessions. I have not missed many collective sessions now in a couple of months so it is just managing the load, interacting with the medical team and making sure that you’re 100%.”
As for the game itself, given the relative inexperience of London, most pundits are tipping Mayo for an easy win on Sunday, but Dillon insists his side won’t be taking anything for granted.
“At this stage, the most important game I will play this year is the next one. I have to approach and think about it like that. London will bring something different to the table, it will be different to see the white and green jersey in a Connacht final, but they are the opposition and they are the team that we have to beat.“London will provide a stiff challenge. I am sure about that. We will have to concentrate on our own performance and get the best out of it over 70 minutes.”
He also admits that the slow pace of the season has been somewhat frustrating, though points out that the club championship has helped alleviate players’ boredom.
“It is not up to myself but it is that lull. We have had five weeks now… the club championship broke it up a bit because it is very difficult to be in camp for five weeks and not have a competitive game. There is only so much of A versus B you can play and still be friends.”
