Paddy McNally back after physical and mental hurdles on 15-month injury journey

Of course, those few seconds back in December 2020 when everything changed will never be far from the thoughts of the popular centre-back.

Modern medicine allowed what was previously considered a career-ending injury to prove career threatening...with McNally’s drive and dedication helping maximise every extra moment of hope from the difference.

But that simple but significant shift in terminology cannot accurately measure the dark days of doubt or moments of light along the road to recovery resulting in McNally battling back to play his part in Portadown’s fight against Premiership relegation.

Today’s visit to Ballymena United is not only a return to a former club for McNally but another meeting against a side serving as bookends to his injury journey.

It was against Ballymena at Shamrock Park when McNally’s attempt to win the ball off Shay McCartan resulted in the long-term injury nightmare as the outcome of so many split-second decisions in the moment.

Last month he lined out against the same side, once again in front of his home fans, to signal a celebrated senior return.

Now McNally’s focus is on a final flourish to a top-flight season in which the Ports remain within the bottom two entering the closing four games.

“It really puts the timeframe into context when you consider Jacob Carney sent me a text over my return but we never actually lined out together in a match during his loan spell at Portadown before signing for Sunderland,” said McNally, who was diagnosed with a ruptured posterior cruciate, high-grade tear of the medial collateral, medial patellofemoral rupture and abductor tendon damage. “The actual injury was no-one’s fault...I’ve thought about it all a million times and so many small points go one way