MICHAEL CAHILL SERVED for the Tipperary defence last summer but when the marquee games came around in August and September in Croke Park, injury setbacks had pushed him back to the bench.
The 2011 Allstar came on as a substitute in the two All-Ireland final thrillers against Kilkenny but the schedule didn’t ease then for the 26 year-old as he went back to lift Tipperary honours with Thurles Sarsfields.
They bowed out at the first club hurdle in Munster against Cratloe and Cahill stepped back to let his injuries heal. He hasn’t togged out for Tipperary yet this year and has been in rehab mode.
Yet ahead of next Sunday’s league semi-final against Waterford, he can see some light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’d an operation on the hip on January 7th, to repair the cartilage. I got it down in Whitfield Clinic (in Waterford), He patched it up and I’ve been doing the rehab since.
“The last three months were slow, but the fitness started to improve that bit better. It’s a gradual process.”
Tipperary’s defence has been hit hard with injuries of late. Cathal Barrett and Kieran Bergin will sit out the clash next Sunday at Nowlan Park. Cahill hopes to force his way back into the rearguard but needs an injection of game time.
“I was lucky enough, with the week’s training last week (in Spain). But it’s game time I’m looking for now, whether that’s training games or club games, to get me back up to pace.
“It was at me the whole time, the whole year, last year. I had my MCL (medial collateral ligament) kind of half torn and that put me out as well.
“(It’s) very restrictive in the running, and pace is kind of my thing, being first out to the ball, and that kind of thing. It put pressure on the other muscles then, like the groin, and the hamstring, so they could go very easy.
“There’s so many players getting it done now. You might get away week to week with the club, but when you’re in with the county, expected to train Tuesday and Thursday, you don’t get the break that is necessary to allow it to heal.”
