Cathal McShane: 'Everybody asked me why wouldn’t you go to Australia? Today answers that'

As for the Tyrone goal, McShane revealed it was a rehearsed scenario

Cathal McShane celebrates. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Cathal McShane’s tears of joy flowed on Saturday and with good reason.

Being able to make such telling contributions in both the All-Ireland semi-final and final wins over Kerry and Mayo seemed a world away from February 23, 2020 when his world came crashing down in the league defeat to Galway in Tuam.

Breaking his ankle and tearing ligaments, his injury was severe as it was unlucky.

“It was a very, very bad injury,” he recalled with a grimace.

“Whenever I did the research and got the full diagnosis of it all, the chances of doing the injury I suffered was rated at 1% or 2%. At the start, I thought it might be too bad but obviously, it progressed to be worse.

“There were many dark days over lockdown. Even being in the gym myself and after five or 10 minutes realising this isn’t going to work. You just have to go home. There’s a lot of emotion that comes along with it but I got great help with physios and different men and I can’t be thankful enough to them. They have really helped me and driven me on, my family and my friends, my girlfriend Kaitlynn as well. I’m very proud to get back to where I’ve got to now and there’s no stopping us. We will keep going, keep building.”

Because of health and safety restrictions, McShane’s rehab work didn’t run as smoothly as it would in normal times. “I didn’t have the access to the physios as much as I would have wanted but again it was all new to me and we didn’t know Covid was coming. It may have delayed the recovery a bit but again I say these things happen for a reason. Today was meant to be. I’m so proud to be out on the biggest stage possible representing Tyrone and doing my family and friends proud.”

With his first touch on Saturday and for the second successive game, McShane came off the bench to find the net. He mightn’t necessarily like it but he has filled the impact substitution role with aplomb.

“You’re probably changing your game and maybe that mentality you’d have of starting a game. Suddenly you come out of the warm up and you’re straight into it. You’re on a high, you’re just in the game and everything is go, go, go.

“But obviously as a sub you have to come off and maybe chill out again and relax and just prepare yourself mentally for the battle and when you’re needed. I kind of had a good insight into when I would be needed so I prepared well for that. I guess whenever you come on, there’s no better feeling than sticking it in the net straight away.”

As for the goal, McShane revealed it was a rehearsed scenario. “The move that actually happened, we’ve worked on. It’s not just a fluke or whatever. We try to make the most of the opportunity that arises and thankfully the ball rattled the net.” McShane could have followed Conor McKenna to Australia where he was set to pursue a career with Adelaide Crows last year before a change of heart. McKenna’s reasons for returning were the same as his for sticking around: All-Ireland glory.

“Everybody asked me the question, ‘why wouldn’t you go to Australia? Why do you want to stay with Tyrone?’ I think today answers that question. This is what it’s all about, this is what I grew up in my club Eoghan Roes dreaming of winning Sam Maguire. Watching Peter Canavan, Brian Dooher lift Sam Maguires ... today is the icing on the cake, just to get over the line and make sure Sam is coming back to Tyrone.”

It isn’t exactly as the cup has to stay in Croke Park for the time being but he hopes it can cross the river Blackwater in the coming months. “It’s strange, it is. Even there coming down (from the steps), you just want to grab it and run. There are obviously protocols and health and safety and stuff.

“I don’t know, it might be brought up individually by somebody in Croke Park but whatever it is, it is. As long as we’re together, the squad, the backroom team, the management, we will just take in the moment and enjoy it.”