IT was an Autumn like no other for the hurlers of Newry Shamrocks – but their lynchpin Paul Sheehan was only able to watch on from the sidelines.

In September last year, the Shamrocks ended a six-game losing run in finals to secure the Down Junior title with victory over Ballela. Subsequent Ulster wins over Antrim’s Gort na Mona and Armagh’s Sean Treacy’s secured a historic Ulster final appearance.

Despite being down to 14 men in the provincial final, they got the deficit back to three points before Eoghan Rua hit a late 1-2 to seal their fate. A wonderful journey had come to an end.

Sheehan was missing for that provincial adventure though, having suffered a cruciate injury in the county final. Maybe things could have been different in the final if he had been available.

This week the Irish News named the six key players for Down over the last decade and Sheehan was the only non-Ards player to make the cut.

How did he feel when he saw his club go so far without him – frustrated? Jealous? Angry? No chance.

“In my 29 years, it was honestly the best three or four months of my life,” he said. “It was out of this world. The lift it gave the club, and the fact that our footballers got to the Down Intermediate final as well meant that the whole place was on a high.

“We had some of the best craic socially in the club after those big hurling and football games.

“The last time we got through in Ulster my da was playing in goals and I was the mascot. Ronan (Sheehan – Down manager and current Shamrocks’ goalkeeper) was playing on that team too.

“It was tough not being able to play but the management team were very good. I was sort of giving them a hand along the line.

“Anything I noticed or any input I could have had at training, they were very open in allowing me to do that.

“It didn’t make up for not playing, of course, but it helped that I could still feel involved.”

Sheehan is 16 weeks post-op now and the recovery is gathering pace.

“I tore it last September but because I had a trip away with the girlfriend planned for January to Australia it was put off,” he said. “They weren’t going to let me fly if I had the surgery beforehand.

“I came home in the first week of February and I was operated on February 11.

“I have done it before so this is the second time on the same knee.

“The first one was keyhole surgery whereas this one was open surgery. Instead of taking a hamstring graft they took a patellar tendon graft. They took away the front of my kneecap and manufactured a new cruciate out of that.

“So far, so good. I’m flat out working on it and trying to get better.

“The good thing about the current situation is that your whole day can focus around movement, stretching and gym work.

“Over the first couple of weeks, when ice and elevation are so important, working from home allowed me to do that pretty well.”

Sheehan was back running at the end of April, his mood improved by the fact that he was not missing and matches or training.

He has been running for a number of weeks and taking steps every day under the guidance of Down physio Grainne Murray who Sheehan says has been “first class” throughout.

“If she told me to eat stones I would do it,” he said. “Even during lockdown she is giving me great advice over the phone. Any concerns or anything, she is there to help.

“The strength and conditioning boys, Eamonn Crothers and Ivan McQuade, have been first class to me too.

“They keep in touch on a daily basis to make sure I’m doing everything I should be.”

When Sheehan gets to pull on the Down jersey – or that of the Shamrocks – is anyone’s guess right now. All he can do now is concentrate on being ready for that day when it arrives.

“I’m just determined that when the time comes that I can step back onto the field, that I’m bigger and stronger than I was when I tore the cruciate.

“I’m motivated, I know what it takes because I have gone through it before.”

n.mccoy@gaeliclife.com