Dublin's Paddy Small reveals chronic hamstring woes

The Dublin star outlined just how much injuries have affected him.

29 April 2024; Insomnia ambassador and Dublin footballer Paddy Small poses for a portrait at the launch of Insomnia's 5-year partnership with the GAA/GPA, at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Paddy Small has opened up about the litany of hamstring injuries that have dogged his Dublin career, revealing he's had '20-plus' tears in the last 'five or so years' alone.

Last year's All-Ireland final goalscorer has had a stop/start senior career with Dublin, lining out in two All-Ireland finals and netting in last year's defeat of Kerry, but enduring frustrating spells on the bench and, even worse, the treatment table.

Now in his seventh season with the Dublin seniors, the Ballymun man has yet to start in this year's Championship and was an unused sub in Sunday's 20-point Leinster semi-final destruction of Offaly.

Speaking at an event to promote Insomnia's five-year partnership with the GAA/GPA, Small outlined just how much injuries have affected him.

"Injuries would have been something that have plagued me a lot, underage and then throughout my career so far with Dublin," said Small, younger brother of centre-back John. "I've accumulated 15, 20-plus hamstring tears over the last five or so years, I've just been trying to manage that as best I can. There's a couple of Grade 3s in there as well. That's certainly been the injury that has plagued me most, especially when it becomes chronic it can be quite challenging as a player.

"But it's a responsibility on us to make sure that when we do come back, we're coming back in even better shape, that we've worked on something that we mightn't have had the opportunity to work on when we were on the pitch. You're just making sure you're really resilient in those moments, that's super important."

Small is hopeful about featuring in Sunday week's Leinster final, as Dublin challenge for a 14th consecutive title success, against a Louth side manager by Dublin great Ger Brennan.

But if a 28th Championship appearance, and a 47th between league and Championship, doesn't materialise then he will keep showing that resilience.

"My underage career with Dublin was pretty much non-existent, if I'm being honest," said the Ballymun man, outlining the determination he's had to show. "If you go back to even U-14, I remember being dropped from my Feile team. Then at U-16 I was in a big competition called the Gerry Reilly Cup and there was a panel of 42 picked and I didn't make the panel. Then in my first year at minor I didn't make the squad. In the second year, for our first Leinster game, I didn't make the squad for that either.

"Then into U-21s, I remember under Dessie he actually dropped me and then brought me back onto the panel. In the second year, I was injured. Then in the third year of 21s, it changed to U-20s so I actually didn't get a chance."

Small has since started two All-Ireland finals, in 2020 and 2023, winning both, and has four Celtic Cross medals in total, along with six Leinster medals. Chances are he will add another provincial medal on May 12 though there are no guarantees about another All-Ireland.

Boss Dessie Farrell made a big point immediately after Sunday's 3-22 to 0-11 hammering of Offaly that the standard at the top level of the game has increased considerably from last year.

Farrell referenced the progress made by 'new managers' this season, presumably Mickey Harte with Derry and Jim McGuinness with Donegal.

"I've seen a big improvement in the standard of the competition, in terms of what other teams are doing," said Farrell.

Small agreed.

"I'd echo Dessie's point, for sure," he said.

"The standard across the country has certainly gone up. There are loads of different counties that have raised their heads and put themselves right in the mix, and then other counties who would have been considered stalwarts in terms of competing for championships.

"So what we did last year, although we got over the line, it isn't going to be enough this year and we're well aware of that. Your Derrys and Kerrys, they're phenomenal teams, amazingly coached, a lot of talent, so we're going to need to be at our best to compete in those games."

In the meantime, Dublin will expect to prolong their provincial reign. That will mean getting one over on Brennan, an old adversary of Small's at club level.

"Playing for my club Ballymun Kickhams, Ger was very much a stalwart at centre-back for St Vincent's and Ger and Vincent's would have prevented us from winning a lot of championships," said Small. "He was an absolutely brilliant player, who I would have faced a lot of times, very smart and intelligent.

"He's a great fella and has a great footballing mind and he's doing a great job with Louth as well."