Maher targets Setanta return
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Stephen Maher is targeting the second-leg Setanta Cup tie against Linfield as his comeback date after finally recovering from the osteitis pubis injury that plagued him towards the end of last season.
The 22-year-old had suffered from the pelvic injury – most common in Australian rules football – but an injection at the end of the 2010 season has sorted the problem out and he is targeting the second-leg on February 28th as a likely comeback.
He won’t be fit enough for the first tie on Valentine’s Day however, though he did return to pre-season training this Tuesday.
“I’m just continuing my rehab at the minute, so it will be a while before I’m back fully training,” Maher says of the injury which he first picked up in the away leg of the UEFA Europa League tie with PFC Levski Sofia back on 15 July “This week is the first week that I’ve started doing straight-line jogging and it’s just about building up strength in the groin and the stomach.
“Hopefully, towards the end of this month, when we were originally due to start back training, I should be ready to do full running and hopefully take part then not so far after that. The injection has completely cleared the pain. It has taken out all the inflammation and swelling in my groin and pubic bone.
“Basically, the groin was completely weak, so just for the last six weeks over the break I’ve been in the physio twice a week and been doing my own stuff at home, strengthening the groin, building up the core muscles and making sure that this won’t happen again.
“For me, the first leg will probably be too early,” he added. “It’s a case of being able to train first, get fit and then be ready to play. I can't just go into games and expect to play. I have to expect some little setbacks and bits of pain in my stomach and groin, but that’s just what’s going to happen.
“Probably sometime in the middle of February, shortly after the first leg, I should be looking to get involved in a game. That will probably be my first pre-season game; probably a bit behind the lads but that was expected anyway.”
He should be close to full-fitness by the time the season does start on the first weekend of March however, when Dundalk face a testing challenge against new champions Shamrock Rovers.
“I had a feeling it was going to be Rovers after last season, beating them three times and them being the champions,” he said of the Tallaght side. “It’s something to look forward to. I’d imagine it will be televised. It’s going to be a massive game. Last year in Tallaght was a big game for us and we managed to get a 2-0 win early on in the season, which I think was the catalyst to us going forward. Hopefully, we’ll be ready for the game and go out and do what we did last year.
“It will be two different teams,” Maher says of the year ahead. “They’re after signing a few new players and I’m sure they’re going to sign a lot more. We’re going to have a slightly different team as well. I think they’re going to be out for revenge, certainly Michael O’Neill. They’ll want to go out and beat us and beat us well. We’re going to have to be on our toes and really up for it, as they are the champions at the end of the day.”
Of course the addition of Mark Quigley and Jason Byrne should give the Lilywhites even more attacking impetus, despite the loss of Faz Kuduzovic, and Maher thinks the signings should bring a lot of goals.
“They’re brilliant signings,” he said. “You just have to look at the experience that they bring. Jason Byrne has scored so many goals, he’s an Irish international and he has played in the UK. Mark Quigley on his day is probably one of the best players in the league, so hopefully both of them do well and they fire us up the table.”
One man that looks likely to leave Oriel Park though, is last season’s captain Liam Burns but Maher, who looks like a possible favourite to step in, was eager to play down talk of him taking on the added burden of wearing the armband – also stating that he would rather concentrate on getting fit first.
“I had it a few times last year,” he says, after captaining the team against Levski Sofia last summer. “It was unbelievable, especially to captain the club in Europe. At the minute, I have to get fit. I have to be fit and ready for selection for the manager to even consider me. But if he wanted to consider me I would love the opportunity. Just at the moment, I’m concentrating on getting fit, and maybe after that I’ll get a look in.
“I’ll still shout and moan at everyone, and still run around. It won’t make a difference. At the end of the day, I’ll still play the same game. I’m probably getting a bit ahead of myself, to be honest, because I just want to be able to play again. Nothing else really bothers me; once I can play again, I’ll be happy.”
The 22-year-old had suffered from the pelvic injury – most common in Australian rules football – but an injection at the end of the 2010 season has sorted the problem out and he is targeting the second-leg on February 28th as a likely comeback.
He won’t be fit enough for the first tie on Valentine’s Day however, though he did return to pre-season training this Tuesday.
“I’m just continuing my rehab at the minute, so it will be a while before I’m back fully training,” Maher says of the injury which he first picked up in the away leg of the UEFA Europa League tie with PFC Levski Sofia back on 15 July “This week is the first week that I’ve started doing straight-line jogging and it’s just about building up strength in the groin and the stomach.
“Hopefully, towards the end of this month, when we were originally due to start back training, I should be ready to do full running and hopefully take part then not so far after that. The injection has completely cleared the pain. It has taken out all the inflammation and swelling in my groin and pubic bone.
“Basically, the groin was completely weak, so just for the last six weeks over the break I’ve been in the physio twice a week and been doing my own stuff at home, strengthening the groin, building up the core muscles and making sure that this won’t happen again.
“For me, the first leg will probably be too early,” he added. “It’s a case of being able to train first, get fit and then be ready to play. I can't just go into games and expect to play. I have to expect some little setbacks and bits of pain in my stomach and groin, but that’s just what’s going to happen.
“Probably sometime in the middle of February, shortly after the first leg, I should be looking to get involved in a game. That will probably be my first pre-season game; probably a bit behind the lads but that was expected anyway.”
He should be close to full-fitness by the time the season does start on the first weekend of March however, when Dundalk face a testing challenge against new champions Shamrock Rovers.
“I had a feeling it was going to be Rovers after last season, beating them three times and them being the champions,” he said of the Tallaght side. “It’s something to look forward to. I’d imagine it will be televised. It’s going to be a massive game. Last year in Tallaght was a big game for us and we managed to get a 2-0 win early on in the season, which I think was the catalyst to us going forward. Hopefully, we’ll be ready for the game and go out and do what we did last year.
“It will be two different teams,” Maher says of the year ahead. “They’re after signing a few new players and I’m sure they’re going to sign a lot more. We’re going to have a slightly different team as well. I think they’re going to be out for revenge, certainly Michael O’Neill. They’ll want to go out and beat us and beat us well. We’re going to have to be on our toes and really up for it, as they are the champions at the end of the day.”
Of course the addition of Mark Quigley and Jason Byrne should give the Lilywhites even more attacking impetus, despite the loss of Faz Kuduzovic, and Maher thinks the signings should bring a lot of goals.
“They’re brilliant signings,” he said. “You just have to look at the experience that they bring. Jason Byrne has scored so many goals, he’s an Irish international and he has played in the UK. Mark Quigley on his day is probably one of the best players in the league, so hopefully both of them do well and they fire us up the table.”
One man that looks likely to leave Oriel Park though, is last season’s captain Liam Burns but Maher, who looks like a possible favourite to step in, was eager to play down talk of him taking on the added burden of wearing the armband – also stating that he would rather concentrate on getting fit first.
“I had it a few times last year,” he says, after captaining the team against Levski Sofia last summer. “It was unbelievable, especially to captain the club in Europe. At the minute, I have to get fit. I have to be fit and ready for selection for the manager to even consider me. But if he wanted to consider me I would love the opportunity. Just at the moment, I’m concentrating on getting fit, and maybe after that I’ll get a look in.
“I’ll still shout and moan at everyone, and still run around. It won’t make a difference. At the end of the day, I’ll still play the same game. I’m probably getting a bit ahead of myself, to be honest, because I just want to be able to play again. Nothing else really bothers me; once I can play again, I’ll be happy.”
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile