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Rory O'Carroll with Padraic Joyce at the launch of the Kellogg's Cúl Camps yesterday. INPHO/Morgan Treacy
On The Mend

Rory O'Carroll targeting championship comeback for the Dubs

The Kilmacud Crokes defender is currently recovering from ankle surgery.

DUBLIN DEFENDER RORY O’Carroll is hopeful of returning to contact training next week and is still targeting a return for the Leinster championship as he continues to recover from ankle surgery.

O’Carroll  has been hampered by the problem for the last two years and opted in mid-March to finally go under the knife to cure the problem.

Sunday week’s Allianz Division 1 football league final against Tyrone has come too soon for O’Carroll to force his way into the reckoning for Jim Gavin’s side.

But he remains confident that he can be fit in time for their Leinster championship opener on June 1st against either Carlow or Westmeath.

“I was back running at the weekend and then I’ve to be put through my paces this week and just basically see how it goes. Everything’s going according to plan so far.”

“I’ve had it for the last two years. It was just constantly at me, so eventually it was like ‘Here, we better sort it out before it’s too late.’”

“I just had a loose bone and cartilage on my ankle joint, so it was impinging the movement.”

“Two years ago, I had a bad fall and I got an MRI scan last September. I was trying to play on and then it got too much. So I just got the surgery then in mid-March.”

“I’ll be back in contact maybe next Tuesday. That’s assuming that I get through everything this week and the weekend.”

O’Carroll has watched on in recent weeks as Dublin have continued on their winning ways and his Kilmacud Crokes clubmate Paul Mannion has been central to their recent impressive displays.

He caught the eye with 1-4 in last Sunday’s semi-final win over Mayo but his emergence is no surprise to O’Carroll.

“Last year in the club championship he was our best player. So he was basically carrying that form through to inter-county.

“He’s made that step-up quite easily – so hopefully he’ll keep it up. He’s got serious pace and then he’s quite accurate.

“He does have a good leap on him. So he’s good under the high ball, despite not being built like a tank.”

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