MONAGHAN forward Jack McCarron hopes to return in time to bolster the Farney’s Championship challenge, despite a setback in recovery from the knee injury that ended his 2020.
The Currin ace damaged knee cartilage during a club championship game last July, leaving him to watch from the sidelines as Monaghan retained their Division One status before exiting the Ulster Championship at the hands of neighbours - and eventual champions - Cavan.
After undergoing surgery, Farney boss Seamus McEnaney hoped to have McCarron back for the start of the National League, had it began at the end of February as planned.
However, the 28-year-old had to go under the knife again when the injury flared up early in the new year.
“After the first operation, the recovery from that is around six months. I was getting on rightly, did all the rehab and then after Christmas I was back in doing a bit of running, everything was going grand and then it flared up again,” he said.
“I took a break for 10 days, was okay for another couple of weeks then it flared up again and I knew something was wrong so I had to go for an MRI scan.
“They weren’t really sure what was wrong, they thought maybe the repair hadn’t worked but they wouldn’t know until they went in and looked at it, and I ended up having to get another operation on my knee to remove the cartilage.”
That was five weeks ago and, with a shorter recovery time than the initial injury, McCarron is confident he will wear county colours this year – depending on how the GAA season looks once finally set in stone.
All indications are that counties will resume collective training from the beginning of next month, with the National League expected to commence on the weekend of May 8/9, leading into Championship in June.
“I haven’t really set much of a timeframe for myself, it’s just trying to get back running and seeing how I get on and hoping there’s no hiccups.
“Probably once we get some kind of indication what way the season’s going to work, we’ll be able to plan a wee bit more, but at the moment I’d definitely be hoping to play some part with Monaghan, hopefully I can get back for the Championship.”
Despite being dogged by injuries since first breaking onto the Monaghan panel, McCarron insists he harbours as he embarks on another comeback trail.
There was the tear in the rotator cuff of his shoulder in 2012, a torn cruciate knee ligament in 2014 and several hamstring tears as well as ankle surgery in the time between, yet he has come back every time and produced the goods.
Now 28, he is planning to do the same again this summer.
There are no slumped shoulders or tales of woe – he just wants to get back again, and can’t wait for the moment his inter-county career finally resumes.
“When I get the green light to go back playing, I don’t really think about. Once you’re fit to play you’re ready to go - I wouldn’t be one for thinking about injuries I’ve had in the past. I’ll be full steam ahead once I’m back.
“After the operation you’re back to square one and, having had two major surgeries in the last six months, it’s just trying to get back to some level of playing football over the next while. I’ll do everything possible to get back playing with Monaghan.
“But I know too that there’s no real point thinking too far down the line. It’s just what you can do over the next while to try and get back to the level you were at previously.”
And after a frustrating couple of years, that is what continues to drive him.
“In 2019 I missed the first round against Cavan, I went over on my ankle four weeks before that and tore ligaments, then last year missing Championship was tough. I just really enjoy playing football and really love playing for Monaghan.
“Once you can get back to doing a wee bit of running it freshens up the mind as well. It can be tough when you’re just in the gym all the time… we’ve a wee gym out the back of the house, but with the evenings getting brighter now you’d just be mad to get back out onto the field with a ball.
“You only have a certain amount of time you’re capable of playing inter-county football so you want to be making the most of it.”
