You blame yourself – was I doing too much?
Injuries and travel disrupted Sarah Fryday’s Tipp career, now she’s making up for lost time...
WHEN in Tipperary a starring Sarah Fryday display defeated put as Offaly place in Ireland and today’s booked Littlewoods Camogie a against League Kilkenny Division at Nowlan 1 semi-final Park, it felt a little bit like a second coming. Big when things she were was introduced expected of to Fryday the Premier long after County’s celebrating senior panel her 16th not birthday. That was ten years ago now and while Tipperary have made consistent gains in recent years, the now 26-year-old’s contribution to that progress has been fitful for a variety of reasons.
Lightning quick and with all the skills, she was on a Tipp side that weren’t making an impact at that time as they bedded in young talent.
Between 2016 and 2020, she suffered two cruciate ligament injuries. The first of those prompted three volunteer stints for Nurture Africa to Uganda, something she regards as life-changing experiences.
While she travelled with the full blessing of manager Bill Mullaney, those trips abroad and injuries stymied her chances of making an impact at inter-county level.
‘After I went to Uganda in 2017, I went back in with Tipp the year after but I also went away to Uganda for three weeks. Bill was very supportive at the time… When I went away and came back, I wasn’t starting obviously because I was away,’ she recalls.
‘I made my way back in 2018 to starting the All-Ireland semi-final against Cork. But I do remember thinking that year that I was after taking a girl’s place for the land semi-final after she had been training all year. So when I decided I was going again in 2019 and going travelling beyond that, I decided remove myself from the panel fully. I couldn’t bear that, walking back into a panel.
‘I was gone in 2019 and then 2020 fully ready for a new year and then of course the cruciate happened.”
She has spoken before of how much the cheeriness of the Ugandan people impacted upon her, giving her an element of life context but was impossible not to be floored by the latest setback though.
‘It was tough enough mentally more than physically. I was part of the Tipperary Ladies’ senior football team as well. It was something I had dreamt about for a number of years, would I be able to do the two. Getting back after my first ACL, after a few years I said maybe the time is right. I probably was at the fittest I could have been, in very good shape. Then for this to happen in January, when coronavirus was still only being whispered about.
‘All of these things are going through your head blaming yourself, were you doing too much and all this kind of stuff. That was the toughest when it happened. Then once you get the operation and everything is going up from there, you have a milestone every week, every month. You are back walking, you are back running, you are back cutting, all of a sudden you are back in non-contact training and all that.”
So last Sunday’s performance felt like a release – and a statement. Starring in a new role at wing-back suited her strengths to such a degree that she was selected as player of the match by analyst, Elaine Aylward.
Given her misfortune, nobody would begrudge Fryday the recognition, but the opportunity might never have come about but for the cruciate knee ligament injury suffered by her best friend, ClonoultyRossmore clubmate and housemate, Clodagh Quirke.
Like Fryday, this is Quirke’s second.
‘There is plenty of advice to be got in the house. It is crazy. Whatever is thrown at Clodagh she will take it. She is waiting to get her appointment for Santry and once she gets that it is going to be head down and working hard again. Anything that is thrown at her she will manage it.
‘She is so important to have inside with Tipp at the moment because she is respected so much from all the players and management alike. A lot of girls would look up to her as a girl who started off on the bench and then through sheer hard work, she got herself onto the team and captained Tipperary. She won’t be going anywhere.
‘I think the last time I played wing-back was an Under 14 boys’ county final in 2008 against Toomevara. Clodagh was at the other wing that same day. If you asked me what my favourite position was, I might say midfield but I would always be put into the forwards.
‘But it happened by default really just in a training match one day. We were down a few backs at the time
‘I DECIDED TO BLACK QUOTE REMOVE FILLS MYSELF FROM OUT THIS
THE PANEL TOTALLY’
as well. Clodagh was after doing her cruciate unfortunately. And Karen Kennedy was also out. It just happened. It’s trial and error really at the moment. You are only as good as your last game. We will see how the next one goes.’
Fryday is an accounting and business teacher in the Presentation Secondary School in Thurles, where teammate Cáit Devane and Cian Treacy, manager of Tipp’s intermediates, are also staff members.
It’s a hectic time of year for Fryday who is currently supervising Leaving Certificate exams, she helps takes charge of the local U16 team as well as looking after the club’s U7s.
‘Just making a small impact on one person’s life it’s massive. There is a good crew of us rowing in with the club, creating a culture of giving back, helping out with underage teams. That is all part of the same thing just on a larger scale in Uganda. It is about giving back and just creating something that is sustainable. Trying to get the best out of everybody from a young age up to an old age.’
It’s all done with sincerity too, and as part of this interview, she asks if mention can be made of the players wearing black armbands in honour of Noreen Ferncombe, the mother of selector Dinny, who passed away recently.
‘It is a family that we have in there and when one person is feeling it, we are all feeling it. Hopefully the win against Offaly upped the spirits a little bit.’
Taking Kilkenny’s scalp would put a real pep in everyone’s step.