Oisín Kiernan gambled earlier in the season and it's paid off handsomely as he is set to have a key role to play on Saturday as Cavan go in search of Tailteann Cup glory against Westmeath at Croke Park.
Back in March and in between Allianz League games against Carlow and Tipperary, Kiernan damaged his hamstring and surgery, given the new condensed inter-county season, would have all but ended his 2022 campaign.
But he took a chance after consultation with medical staff, and having missed the Division 4 final win over the Premier County, he is looking forward to the chance of playing for a title at headquarters.
"It was serious enough at the time. I'm well looked after, I don’t know the exact information on what it was but it was a hamstring tendon rupture.
"Originally, I thought I was going to need an operation but I had an ACL injury a few years ago on the same leg and from just talking to the surgeon, he said there was a chance he could mend it back together without surgery.
"That was what we opted for, it was a small risk at the time, but luckily enough I got back a wee bit sooner than I thought and all has been good since."
"If I had gotten the operation it would have been 12 to 14 weeks, which would have been me coming back about now so I would have missed a large chunk of it alright," he continued. "I got lucky in the end."
In a time when the American exodus has been garnering plenty of headlines, it’s notable that 14 of the 15 players who started in Cavan's Ulster semi-final loss to Donegal also featured in their Tailteann Cup semi-final win over Sligo.
The offers would have arrived, no doubt, after that tough-to-take loss to the Tir Chonaill County, and it’s a real morale boost for all involved that they were rejected.
"I don’t know but I’m sure there were offers to some lads but I think that just shows the tight group that’s there and the environment the management have created," Kiernan said of the situation.
"We all wanted to row in behind the Tailteann Cup. It’s obviously new but we had a chat the next night [after the Donegal game] and we had our aim on going as far as we could in the competition.
"It was a no-brainer really, we just made the decision to give it a lash and see where it takes us."
The new tournament has been running at the same time as the latter stages of the All-Ireland championship. The final will be the curtain-raiser for the semi-final between Derry and Galway – two sides that the Breffni County would be confident they could compete with on a good day.
There will be no green-eyed monster on display though. Cavan have their own attainable goal now, and that’s where their focus is.
"At this stage not really because we’re just focusing on where we are at now.," Kiernan replied when asked was it hard watching those All-Ireland games.
"If the year had of been over of course it would have been difficult, and it’s difficult in the days after falling short to Donegal.
"You just have to pick yourself up fairly quick because the games come thick and fast.
"Tough watching these games? Not really because you’re just focusing on the next training session and what’s coming ahead for us."
Watch the Tailteann Cup final between Cavan and Westmeath on Saturday at 3pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, with live blog on RTÉ News app and on rte.ie/sport and live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
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