Football

Home help played part in John Boyle boosting Warrenpoint in Down SFC

John Boyle (left) is a key man for CPN Warrenpoint.
John Boyle (left) is a key man for CPN Warrenpoint. John Boyle (left) is a key man for CPN Warrenpoint.

WHEN you're battling to shake off an injury, it helps to have ready access to a physio. Or three. At all hours.

John Boyle's rapid recovery from a calf problem to feature for Warrenpoint in their Down SFC quarter-final win over Clonduff was boosted by the healing hands of his wife Tina McNicholas, the club physio, and two others.

The Blues' defensive stalwart also plays for Newry City, and received treatment from their club physio, but former Mayo ladies footballer Tina rightly gets the bulk of the credit, as John explained:

"After the Kilcoo game I went for a run, I was down at the in-laws in Mayo and just nipped my calf a wee bit.

"I've nearly been on bed rest since then and thankfully it held up well. I'm just really thankful to everybody who has worked hard with me over the last 10 days to get me so I was able to come on and help get us through to the semi-final again.

"She's been giving me a wee bit of help – she's been tortured, morning, noon, and night, when the TV's on and the kids are in bed, that she has to treat it. I'm very lucky and thankful that she's worked really hard with me.

"It's a tribute to her that I was able to play, all her real hard work, and Ciaran Murray and the soccer physio, Alison, as well. I've been to quite a few, getting ready to try to help me play a small part."

Boyle modestly played down his contribution to Cumann Pheadair Naofa's comeback against the Yellas, having come on at the three-quarter mark of normal time. After leaking three first half goals, the Blues deservedly forced extra time.

"I thought we were actually playing all right," said Boyle. "We'd said all week that Clonduff were a real serious team going forward and they could get goals. They got goals and we were rocked for a bit.

"I don't think I had any impact on it because the boys themselves were really going hard at it. It's a bit more coincidence that I came on and it sorta rectified itself."

Boyle looked to have won it in the closing moments of extra time, before Clonduff's Arthur McConville levelled to set up a penalty shoot-out – during which Boyle also scored.

However, again he made light of his contribution, saying: "That's my first point this year, I haven't been able to get up at all. Here, if I can chip in, I chip in, I was lucky enough. The penalty, I was lucky, he sorta went the other way."

"I've hit a few in my time [playing soccer]. I was telling one of the boys it's like going for a job interview, you know that feeling of being anxious and wanting to score."

Asked about his spot-kick success rate, he replied with a laugh: "I'll tell you that I've scored enough because you don't know! You don't know my record! I'll say I've scored all mine."

His own fitness apart, Boyle attributed Warrenpoint's recent successes – reaching last year's final and then beating Burren, Kilcoo, and Clonduff so far in this campaign – to the stamina they've built up:

"One thing I would say, the group has a serious fitness about them, that has come about over the last two, three years. The fitness work they've done has paid dividends in the final stages of games.

"We've come on very strong in all our games in the final 15 [minutes] so we know we have that in our locker. I hope we don't have to do it as much the next day." They may well have to do, though, as they face a re-match with champions Kilcoo in the second semi-final on Sunday evening at Pairc Esler.

Boyle spared a thought for their defeated opponents, but was obviously delighted Warrenpoint had squeaked through in the shoot-out:

"It was heartbreaking for Clonduff to go out like that but it's a quick season this year and we'll take the Lady Luck this time.

"The boys really deserve it, over the whole pandemic they've really taken ownership of their own fitness and training. It probably was down to those hard days and Lady Luck shining on us."