Annus horribilis over for O’Mahony

AIDAN O’MAHONY suspects many people believed last winter’s anti-doping debacle would end his Kerry football career.

The three-time All-Ireland winner infamously became the first GAA player ever to fail a drugs test after last September’s All-Ireland final defeat to Tyrone. He tested positive for the presence of salbutamol, a substance used to treat his asthma condition.

While he was always confident he did nothing wrong and was eventually cleared, he was effectively left under a cloud from November when the story first broke until January.

Speaking to journalists for the first time yesterday in Galway at a Puma launch, O’Mahony was keen to leave the affair behind him.

But he admitted that some believed the situation would get to him and even end his career.

Asked if he was a stronger person for overcoming the intense few months, O’Mahony said: “Yeah I suppose so. These things bring you on. You are always more driven every year too. Last year, losing an All-Ireland and the incident before the All-Ireland (clashing with Cork’s Donncha O’Connor) and the incident after ... I suppose it only makes you more driven.

“The following year people say it makes you stronger. A lot of people say that could have been the finish of me. But I’m only happy to be back inside with the team and to try to reclaim my place again.”

O’Mahony admitted that, in general, the anti-doping issue was the low point of a bad 2008 for him. He was part of Kerry teams that lost in national league, Munster and All-Ireland finals.

“It was one of those years, you lose an All-Ireland, then that incident after the All-Ireland, it probably was a long year,” said the Cork-based Garda.

“I went over to Australia and then it (news of the positive drugs test) broke out. But it happened, and you have to clear your name and I was happy enough when I was cleared. January came and we were back training in the gym. You’re inside there with 30 odd players and it’s like a different world.

“Whatever happens outside the door, you leave it there. You come in and play your football.”

O’Mahony said it’s conceivable that another GAA player could find himself in the same position and fail a drugs test, for example, for a simple oversight like taking Lemsip.

“It could happen to anyone,” he said. “The big thing is the anti-doping crowd and county teams know themselves that if it is a harmless thing then it can be worked out. There is a process there to eliminate it and these tests have to be taken and at the end the players can clear themselves.”

The former All Star also thanked his fellow inter-county players for the support they gave him during his difficult period.

“That was one of the big things for me that in the media I got overwhelming support,” he reflected.

“One of the papers had something with Sean (Cavanagh) and he was backing me up. It was nice to see other players talking about their experience with asthma and backing you up.”

Having survived his annus horribilis, O’Mahony says all his concentration is now on the forthcoming Munster SFC semi-final clash with holders Cork at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney on Sunday week.

“There is a bit of healthy banter, because I’m working as a guard in Cork,” smiled O’Mahony.

“That’s part and parcel of the game and it is good fun coming up to it but the serious stuff starts now.”