Bohs captain Keith Buckley boosted in recovery bid by cousin Conor McGregor
Buckley interviewed during a Bohemians media day.
Any rueful thoughts Keith Buckley might have had about injury preventing him leading Bohemians out in Sunday’s FAI Cup final were smothered by his cousin Conor McGregor.
The pair of sportsmen are related through family but have now also both experienced the trauma of suffering simultaneous ACL and MCL rupture.
Despite their knees crumbling, they each tried to battle on – McGregor beating Max Holloway on his American UFC debut and Buckley rising from the turf against St Patrick’s Athletic.
It was only the next day that the extent of the damage was diagnosed, robbing him of his bid to exact revenge from the Cup final defeat of two years ago to the Saints.
He won’t be a passive captain though, rousing his teammates in the same way he would if he was taking to the Aviva Stadium pitch in his customary midfield berth.
“I do look at him sometimes to get a bit of motivation,” he said of McGregor. “I was only rewatching his documentary and we’ve been chatting about how he recovered from the injury.
“He didn’t have to contact me because he has other things going on but it was nice of him.
"As he said, it is a journey now, a process for your mind. You will find out a lot more mentally about yourself that you never did before and how the body moves in different ways when you come back.
“I’ve seen people who are weak mentally not come back from these things. They give up but no, I won’t take any shortcuts.
“I don’t know if it’s in the family but after my injury I saw the ball and then tried to hop up. Conor fought on, won the match and became world champion.” One operation down, a second to go. The MCL surgery is due this side of Christmas before the rehabilitation intensifies early in the new year.
Mary Larkin, the renowned sports psychologist who Stephen Bradley credits as being integral to their fourth title on the spin, will be there to address the mental challenges.
“The Players’ Union (PFAI) help people who have long-term injuries,” explained the 31-year-old. “Sometimes after three or four months of rehab, you might hit a little bit of a lull. I’ll look at going over somewhere like St George’s Park in England, just for different scenery and later Portugal, when back on my feet, for warm-weather training. From speaking to others, training for seven months alone can be difficult”.
Before that, there’s a trophy drought to rectify. The last silverware claimed by Bohs was the 2009 league title and Buckley has been around Dalymount for most of the eventful 14 years since.
"It’s devastating not to be playing but I can't show any devastation when I am up at training every day.” he reasons.
“I still have a job to do, and a role as a captain to be there. Even if I am not playing, I am still the same person. I am there around the place. When the lads come in after training, we have lunch together, have a chat, and I am always there to give the young lads advice.
"I am experienced enough now. I have seen these nights. The last final in the Aviva wasn't good but this could be special.” Meanwhile, Sligo Rovers have chosen to keep faith with manager John Russell despite their disappointing eight-placed finish. Nine players, including former Cork City league winner Garry Buckley, have left the club in a major overhaul as part of budgetary cuts.
Also active last night were Drogheda United, the team that finished one place above them.
Their members endorsed the 100 percent takeover by Trivela Group, the American investment firm that also owns English outfit Walsall.
“At the highly anticipated Special General Meeting of the 144 members of Drogheda United, the acquisition was endorsed by 91 total votes, 90 for and 1 against,” read a club statement.
“Prior to the meeting, 59 votes were cast by proxy leaving a further 85 potential votes to be made on the night. The endorsement required 75 percent of all votes cast to pass but sailed through with the overwhelming majority when a further 32 people voted on the night.”
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