Mike Casey's road back from cruciate injury hell: 'We love the gym in Limerick'

Mike Casey (centre) celebrates with team-mates after the Munster final win over Clare

The last few years have been the greatest in Limerick's hurling history, as John Kiely's team bid for a third consecutive All-Ireland title this summer.

But Mike Casey was not part of the good days in 2020 and 2021.

As the intercounty season restarted in October 2020 due to the pandemic, the Treaty were readying themselves for the delayed championship. They faced off against Galway in a challenge match, during which the dreaded cruciate curse visited upon the Na Piarsaigh club man.

"I had surgery in mid-November, and around July, after my nine months, I came back and played a club game and got through that ok - the next training session I had a cartilage issue. I felt a pop in the knee and unfortunately my cartilage had given way," Casey explained.

Another long period on the side-line awaited him.

"In July 2021 I got that surgery done by Ray Moran up in Santry, they were excellent - they said it happens sometimes, it's not related [to the cruciate]," he said.

"So they tried to stitch up that cartilage and unfortunately it wasn't as successful as we'd hoped, so I went back in December 2021 to have that cartilage removed.

"Thankfully I haven't looked back since, everything's been perfect - there have been some angry days and some excellent days, but overall it feels really good and I'm delighted to be back on the field."

There were definitely dark moments.

Casey is pleased to be back fit and firing

Throughout his absence from the field of play, there were some testing times.

"There were definitely dark moments - my girlfriend, Jessica, I've been with her five or six years and she was excellent through it all. Any time I had a setback and needed someone to talk to she was there for me," he said.

"And with the group, a lot of the lads have been through a lot of things, knee surgeries and things like that. And I never left the group. I was asked to come in and help with stats and that so I was part of everything that was going on, there was some small bit to contribute to the team.

"There's never a good time, but unfortunately the way the championship went, I was going to miss two [intercounty seasons]. Even getting back in July 2021, it would have been a big push to get back into contention. In the back of your mind you have to think 'I can get back in there' but it's a big challenge."

John Kiely celebrates with Casey after the 2021 Munster final

'In the gym there was no skipping a set or skipping a rep'

The timings of Casey's injuries meant he was cut off from the panel more so than usual. Indeed, he could not attend any of the games in Limerick's run to the 2020 All-Ireland final, due to the Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.

But he found solace in the pursuit of ensuring he would return a better player than before.

"It was an extremely tough period, going through lockdown as well, so it was a tough 18, 19 months. My last game was Kilkenny in 2019 before this year, so that was a long lay-off," he said.

"It was tough but looking on and seeing how well the boys were doing, what they were achieving, made it that bit easier. In the gym there was no skipping a set or skipping a rep, when you were back you wanted to contribute to the group, but to do that you had to be at the highest level because of what the boys were doing on the field, what they were achieving. So unless you were at peak fitness and ready to go you weren't going to get back in.

"Whatever you put in [during the recovery], you'll get out. You see the shape lads come in afterwards, it's unbelievable, but you've nine months to hit the gym and you can get a lot of things done you mightn't have the time to do if you were playing."

He relished joining in with the team's gym sessions.

"We love the gym in Limerick, we're as competitive there as anywhere. Being able to keep going to the gym with the boys was massive in those two years, go in and lift a few weights with them in that competitive spirit."

There is real competition amongst the Treaty players on the benches and squat racks.

"The reigning king of the gym? Myself, definitely up there," he laughed. "No, Sean Finn isn't bad in all fairness, Colin Coughlan is a bit of a freak of nature after coming in.

"I'd take the Morriseys no problem!

"Everyone takes huge pride in it and we're delighted to be there, we're as competitive in that gym as anywhere else."

Casey made his first championship appearance since 2019 against Cork in April

Those long hours bear fruit on the field.

"Absolutely. It's such a fundamental to it. If you're progressing there, it is definitely going to help you on the field," he said.

"Yes, it's not the be all and end all of it. You still have to put the ball over the bar. Your bicep curls aren't going to do that for you.

"But we're really really competitive in there, and everyone takes massive pride in it. And it's definitely something that if you are slacking, lads are going to let you know that you need to improve this aspect of where you're coming at.

"A lot of lads have really bought in. The young fellas that come in now are just as strong as lads that are in there for the last five, six years. It's a testament to the academy and what they're doing in Limerick at the moment that these guys are coming in, and they're well able to hit the ground running straight away."

Casey is hoping to help Limerick to a third consecutive All-Ireland title for the county

After finally returning to full fitness, there was an initial nervousness getting back to intercounty hurling.

"It's going to be in the back of your head, absolutely. The match against Cork [in the 2022 Munster Championship opener] was my first since 2019, I only had the [league] game against Offaly under my belt," he said.

"But our training is as intense as anything. On any given day you could be marking Aaron Gillane or Seamus Flanagan inside in training, if you're able to do it there you'll be able to do it in championship.

"I was delighted the lads had the trust in me and I obviously showed well enough to get back in there, I was delighted."

Days like the Munster final win over Clare made all the hard yards worthwhile.

"Thurles there, there's something about it. There was a huge atmosphere, the terraces were absolutely packed. The rain was teeming down, and I think that added to it even more," he smiled.

"It was like gladiators walking around which was excellent. As a player, that's what you feed off. You try and put all your emotion away and try and concentrate on your job. But sometimes you do look around and say, 'this is why you put in those long hard days'. This is what you want to do."

After two years of injury hell, he is primed for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final. Galway await the Treaty; the same opposition against whom he sustained his original cruciate injury.

Having looked in from the outside for so long, he will be aiming to make his mark.

Watch Limerick vs Galway in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final live on Sky Sports Arena from 3pm Sunday.