Galway's Damien Comer: You can’t let sport consume you
Michael Bolton
After two All-Ireland final losses in three years and numerous injuries, Damien Comer could be forgiven for letting football take its toll on him.
A key player for Galway in their resurgence over the years, Comer has been a vital part of the journey in his 11 years playing with the county.
One of the best players in the country in 2022, as Kerry defeated Galway in the All-Ireland final, Comer had a frustrating 2024 due to injuries, while the county lost the final to Armagh by one point.
The 31-year-old admitted it did take some time to get over, but time off the pitch put things into perspective.
"It will haunt you for as long as you can think about it, to be honest," he remarked.
"It does hurt, and it will live with you until you die.
"Again, it is sport. You can't let it completely consume you. I know sport is a great outlet for many people. As I get older, I have learned to detach from the emotional side of it.
"You're upset and you're disappointed, but you have to try and park it as best you can. You can't let it dictate your mood from week to week, though. Some people are better at that than others."
Injuries became a common theme for Galway in their journey to the final, with Shane Walsh and Seán Kelly picking up injuries.
The final also saw Rob Finnerty come off injured, as Galway's squad depth was put to the test.
"We got to an All-Ireland final, and we were struggling with injuries all through the year, which probably shows how good our squad is overall.
"It is probably what cost us in the end. Our best forward, Rob Finnerty, went off after five minutes, and he was the one keeping us ticking all year.
"We have a strong enough squad that we are not relying on one player, so if someone gets injured, it is next man up."
Comer made his return to the Galway team in the defeat to Dublin during the National League campaign, but he made an immediate impact with a goal.
With forwards across the country licking their lips, given the way the rules are playing out coming into the summer months, Comer is no different, and is eager for the battles on the horizon with defenders.
"It is back to your one-on-one defending. The art of defending was probably lost a little bit.
"If you took on a lad one v one in the old game, you beat him, and you had to beat another lad behind him and maybe another lad behind him as well—the way defensive structures had gone.
"It is definitely more exciting to play because you have those moments where you can get on the ball easier. It shows how good a defender or an attacker is in the new game."
After a positive league campaign and a near fully-fit squad for the first time in a long time, the Tribesmen's attention will turn to Roscommon on Sunday, as they chase their fourth straight Connacht title.
Having been monitored carefully at the start of the season, Comer admits he will have to be patient but is ready to do what it takes to gain full fitness.
"You have to build slowly and surely, so minutes will always be monitored and maybe less than I’d like.
"I have to respect that and go with the advice I've been given from my medical team and strength and conditioning. Hopefully, as the summer progresses and seeing that I've built up a bank of resilience,
"I will hopefully play the 70 minutes. But for the moment, it will probably be curtailed. I'm OK with that, as long as I'm able to stay on the pitch and keep playing."