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FEATURE www.ladiesgaelic.ie | SPRING 2019 | 11 There were days that ended in tears and an abandoned plan to take an extended time away from the game, but Cork captain Doireann O'Sullivan is back in the fight in time for the start of the TG4 All-Ireland series. Over the years, the Mourneabbey attacker has suffered her fair share of injuries, with a few knee problems holding her back on occasion, but a fractured vertebrae in her back was the scariest of them all, she admits. Her role as an unused sub for the Lidl NFL Division 1 semi-final victory over Dublin was her last involvement with the county team, but after three long months on the sidelines, the 24-year- old teacher is enjoying the small things about the game again. And while she can't get enough of the tough training in recent weeks, O'Sullivan knows it could have been so different. "It was a frustrating League campaign for me personally. I wasn't really involved in the League and I wasn't involved in the Munster championship at all, but I hope to play a part in the business end of the year in the All Ireland campaign," said five-time All-Ireland winner O'Sullivan. "There was one stage (when) it seemed worse than what it was, but in the end I found out that I fractured a vertebrae. "Potentially I could have had to have had a screw put into my back. In some cases, you do have to get a screw or a pin put in, but thankfully it didn't come to that. I just have to get a repeat CT scan now to make sure it's all good. "Unfortunately, they missed the injury in the first MRI. The symptoms weren't correlating with that they said was the issue. I had a blue dye injection for the second scan and it showed up the fracture. "The neurosurgeon said it wasn't a typical GAA injury, that it wasn't a stress fracture, it's not wear and tear or anything. It was impact and you'd see that more with gymnast, rugby players or even from a car (accident). Fracturing your vertebrae isn't a common GAA injury." After a hectic 2018 that featured a bruising defeat in the TG4 All-Ireland Senior final to Dublin, but culminated in December's All-Ireland club Clockwise from left: Doireann O'Sullivan at The journey to Croke Park for the participating contenders shoot. 2 Doireann in action for Cork, Lidl Ladies NFL Round 6 v Mayo. 3 Doireann in action for Mourneabbey, All-Ireland Ladies Football Senior Club Championship Final v Foxrock- Cabinteely, Dublin. 4 Mourneabbey players and sisters, from left, Doireann, Róisín, Meabh and Ciara O'Sullivan celebrate with their parents. 5 Doireann in action for Mourneabbey v Foxrock-Cabinteely 6 Doireann with the Croke Park Hotel and LGFA Player of the Month award for November 2018 I By DECLAN ROONEY