Shamrock Rovers ace Neil Farrugia raring to go after return from dislocated shoulder

Neil Farrugia is ready to attack the rest of Shamrock Rovers’ season after making his timely return from a dislocated shoulder.

The Hoops winger suffered the crippling injury in the first-half of their home draw with Dundalk on the opening night of the season.

But surgery and rehabilitation went well for the 24-year-old who at one stage could have been facing a four-month layoff.

Farrugia made his comeback off the bench in Friday’s 1-1 draw with Bohemians at Dalymount Park - as did Jack Byrne, in his first appearance of the season.

And Farrugia, who was dogged with previous hamstring issues in the early part of his Rovers career, feels he couldn’t have timed his return better with Europe to come.

He will get more minutes under his belt in today’s league clash with Waterford and said of his injury: “You're feeling fresh the first game of the season, and then it hits you.

“I had a good pre-season and then, all of a sudden, I'm in a hospital getting my shoulder popped back in.

“It was just unlucky and you have to enjoy it while you can because you don't know what's going to happen.”

Farrugia continued: “It took me about two weeks to really get my head around it. But Rovers are brilliant and they got me the operation I needed.

“Hopefully, the likelihood now is very small for it to happen again.”

Shamrock Rovers' Neil Farrugia goes down with an injury after being tackled by Zak Bradshaw of Dundalk
(Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)

While it was hugely frustrating to get injured like that in the first game, Farrugia feels his previous, lengthy injury issues left him well prepared mentally.

“With the shoulder, it was bad for about three weeks. I was bed-bound, needed help to get around, couldn't drive, and that was tough,” he explained.

“But once I got moving and a bit of mobility back, I was back on the pitch fairly quickly because it was an upper limb injury.

“Then it was about being safe and keeping the risk low of falling down again. Mentally, it wasn't the worst because I've been there.

“I had three weeks where I was on the pitch, but I wasn't allowed contact. So I was able to do a good bit of training by myself.

“I saw the surgeon this week. He gave me the green light and said: 'You're good to go.” and that’s what I needed.

“It was great on Friday night and I loved it. I thought we could have got more with the result, but it is what it is. I was just happy to be back and back playing again.”

Rovers could finish top-of-the-table tonight if they beat the Blues in Tallaght and the outcome at the Brandywell between Derry City and Shelbourne goes their way.

The second-placed Hoops are well in contention despite a chronic injury list and that’s an ominous warning to the rest of the title contenders.

And with the European draws taking place on June 18 and June 19, that Champions League adventure is suddenly taking sharper focus.

Farrugia is relieved to be returning at a time when there’s so much to play for and added: “Last year I had a good start to the season and then bang, got injured.

“That was just before Europe and it was tough. Whereas here, okay I missed the start but I'm back now.

“For the first two weeks it’s doom and gloom and you think ‘I'm never going to get back'. But once you start training, you think ‘I am going to get back’, and that’s it now.”

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