'Miracle' Antrim GAA starlet lifts Mageean Cup

October 27, 2016

Thumbs-up! Odhrán McKenna with Donna Tohill, head of St. Mary's Grammar School in February 2016.
Pic via St. Mary's CBGS Belfast Facebook page.

A young Belfast GAA star who suffered a serious head injury in a road accident last February captained St. Mary's CBS to Mageean Cup glory last night.

Odhrán McKenna, who is a member of the St. John's club in west Belfast, was left fighting for his life after the car he was driving struck a tree on the Killead Road in Crumlin. Thankfully, he made a full recovery and there were emotional scenes when he and twin brother CJ, as joint-captains, lifted the coveted silverware after St. Mary's 3-16 to 0-6 win over St. Killian's Garron Tower in last night's final. 

"It's hard to take everything in," Odhrán told Belfast Live.

"It hasn't been the best year of my life, there have been a lot of ups and downs but I took the bulls by the horns and to come away with a win like that is unreal.

"I was back training 10 weeks after my accident and the first time was a bit scary because the doctors didn't give me a definitive yes or no as to whether I should play again or not.

"Dr Caldwell, my recovery consultant, gave me a 'back to play' programme so I worked on it although it was my club manager Gerard Shannon who pushed me and kept motivating me and it is down to him that I was able to lift the Mageean Cup with CJ."


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