Painful memories put Parkinson in positive position

AFTER a colourful career of highs and considerable lows, Colm Parkinson isn’t about to let one impressive performance against Meath in the Leinster semi-final go to his head.

Thrown in at full-forward on Darren Fay for the game against Sean Boylan’s side, Parkinson produced a superb display in leading the line for his county. Even when Mark O’Reilly traded places with Fay, the Laois player continued to hold sway.

It was a welcome return to the big stage for Parkinson after injury wrecked his campaign last year. Easy to forget now after what transpired over the summer, but the Portlaoise forward was his team’s best player when their unbeaten league run was ended in unceremonious fashion against Tyrone in the final.

A hamstring injury after 38 minutes of the championship opener against Wexford and all that counted for nothing. After years of flitting in and out of the senior panel between stints in the US and a seemingly obligatory annual transfer from one third level institution to another, it was cruel timing.

“I was looking forward to getting back to Croke Park when I’d be fully fit and the head right because I was all over the place last year when I came back. It’s one game really though, that doesn’t mean Micko’s got the best out of me,” he says. “I was brought on and off again against Armagh last year as well, so he wasn’t really getting the best out of me then. Things just went well for me last time, it’s hard to put your finger on it. I suppose, credit goes down to Micko, credit goes down to all the lads that were getting the ball in.”

Parkinson’s image has always been one of a man apart, the scraggy hair, ear-ring and stubble complementing a dress sense that could be labelled urban grunge. He is the first to admit that his attitude hasn’t helped him in the past either when it comes to his game, but he makes no attempt to hide the frustration of playing a bit part in last year’s success. “I did have a nightmare year last year personally. It was brilliant for Laois but I missed all of it after having the hamstring injury for about ten weeks. I came back then and played shit really, I’m not going to lie.

“It’s great to be back in the team this year for a Leinster final. I watched the final from the stand last year, so it’ll be great to be involved in it. I was used to being part of it when Laois were winning before, so it was a bit hard to not be a part of it. It was a great time anyway, winning the Leinster. I just hope to enjoy it more this time.” That will all depend on Sunday’s result. Laois and Westmeath are no strangers to each other after their parallel rise from mediocrity to Leinster kingpins over the last ten years. Parkinson remembers the tussles well, not that they hold too many good memories for him personally.

“Most of my experiences with Westmeath have been bad ones. In ’95 they beat us in a Leinster final after two replays and I went off injured the second day. I was playing corner-back back and was in hospital for three weeks after rupturing my spleen.

“Under-21 then in ’99, I went off with a hamstring injury ten minutes into the first game and only got on the last 15 minutes of the replay.”

The painful memories don’t end there either. Four years ago Westmeath spanked their rivals in Tullamore in what was Tom Cribben’s final game as Laois manager.

“The thing is, we’d beaten them the last two years [at senior]. They have a good record against us in Tullamore actually but this is different. We usually play well in Croke Park.”

Confidence, bordering on cockiness, has always been a Parkinson trait. Witness his taunting of the Meath defence at the end of their semi-final win when he ran to the sideline and soloed the ball mockingly in front of four Royal defenders.

Last year at half-time in the breakthrough game against Dublin at Croke Park he was nabbed by RTÉ for an interview and stated bluntly that Laois were much the better team, had nothing to fear from the reigning provincial champions and would definitely win.

You sense he feels the same about this one, even if he pulls back ever so slightly by saying it outright. Cockiness is one thing, but there’s no sense in egging on the opposition either.

“This is their first year in it, like we were last year and they’ve done fantastically well, but I just think personally, man for man, we have better players even if that doesn’t always work out in terms of winners or whatever. I’d say there won’t be much in it.”