Coleman's phone call that helped GAA star on road to recovery

One of the greatest days for the Galway footballers in recent years was a dark one on a personal note for one of the Tribesmen's stalwarts.

During the Westerners' Super 8s win over Kerry at Croke Park in July, 2018, Paul Conroy went in for a 50-50 ball with Sean O'Shea.

What initially seemed an innocuous incident left its mark on the Galway midfielder.

Conroy broke both of his legs, which resulted in him relying on a wheelchair for the ensuing weeks. He would not return to his teaching job until the following January, and did not feature for Galway again until 2020.

The road to recovery was a difficult one. But one phone call did offer him encouragement, and remind him there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Republic of Ireland and Everton soccer star Seamus Coleman had just been through a similar journey, having suffered a broken leg during a World Cup qualifier against Wales in March 2017, an injury that would rule the Donegal native out of action until the following January.

"I was 29 at the time," Conroy reflects on his double leg break.

"Some people would say, 'You'll find it very hard to get back', and you try to stay away from them type of people.

"You try and stay with the people who have the experience. At the time, I remember talking to Seamus Coleman, he gave me a ring because he had a similar injury. Things like that help you along the way."

Coleman, who is a first cousin of Dublin manager Dessie Farrell, is a keen follower of Gaelic games. Conroy had no previous connection with the Premier League star, other than going through a similar experience, but the Donegal native reached out to him.

"He [had] seen it in the media and he gave me a ring, which was brilliant. He reached out to me on Instagram and he