Rhode's Paraic Sullivan focused after recovery
Of course, he won’t indulge himself. The club are still looking for their first provincial senior title and there is a game to be won. He can’t say he’s back to his best but he’s getting there. After the operation in April last year, he chronicled his rehab in his absorbing blog. Writing about it kept his recovery on the road.
“When it happened a second time it was devastating and you question life, sport, the whole thing. We had after been beaten in a fourth Leinster final (by their opponents tomorrow St Vincent’s) and after giving so much it’s taken from you. “The blog made it easier. It helped me connect with other people and because I was putting myself out there it made me keep standards.
“Most of the time, I didn’t slacken off. I was putting myself on a pedestal and you had to follow through on it because you were setting an example to people, to an extent.”
Just as he was in Rhode’s previous final appearances in 2006, ’08, ’11 (postponed final was played in January), and ’12, Sullivan is on call.
He would like to think there will be no repeat of what happened against the Dublin champions two years ago.
“We were blitzed off the field and they could have been 12 or 14 points up early. They were operating at a different level.
“We have had a bit of time off since then and a lot of our guys are 23 and 24 and have developed physically and mentally. We’ve been able to train harder than ever and we’re more tactically aware. We know that if we are to win a Leinster final we have to go somewhere where we haven’t gone before. It will have to be one of our greatest performances ever and we’ve trained and prepared accordingly.”
Sullivan is one of half a dozen survivors from Rhode’s first Leinster final 10 years ago. Manager Pascal Kelleghan was there too — Sullivan commends him for how his ideas “revitalised” the team.
“There are a couple of new guys like Dylan Kavanagh and Eoin Rigney and they have really refreshed things. They have brought a certain energy and zest. They want to impress you and you want to impress them.”
Rhode will be without Sullivan’s fellow army officers, his brother Antoin and Jake Kavanagh, who are on a UN tour of duty in Lebanon. There had been hope they might be permitted to return. “We knew from a long way out, from June or July, that they were sectioned off to go away at this stage. The lads trained as if they were never going. They didn’t hold back and said they were going to max it out.
“They went prior to the Sean O’Mahonys game, we said our goodbyes as if we as a group would never see them again but we probably always felt something could be done to get them home if we made the final.
“Every avenue was exhausted to the point where nothing more could be done. Another attempt was made but it was out of our hands. When we found out, Pascal addressed it in training and it was put to bed. If we didn’t do that, our focus wouldn’t be what it was.
“So lads let that go. There were a couple of texts sent from them to us and us to them and I’m sure they’ll be in hell thinking about us over there, kicking every kick, making every run and block, but our performance will be dedicated to them. It could potentially have been their best years in Rhode jerseys.”
Considering his own journey, Sullivan is delighted to be representing Rhode again but tomorrow is a time for cool heads. “I’ve accepted what happened, happened. This is the biggest game Rhode will have played in the history of the club and to win would mark something special but you have to apply yourself like any other game. You can’t get caught up in emotions.
“The brain powers the body and if that’s not right then you’re fried. I’m 31 years of age and what a lot of us have gone through gives you the experience not to fall into that trap.”
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