Moffatt stays patient

Crossmolina's Liam Moffatt could do with a break, of the right kind, for a change. Certainly, the NUI Galway student has endured enough hard luck stories to last a lifetime.

But, with a major doubt hanging over Tom Nallen's fitness for Sunday's All-Ireland club football semi-final encounter with Na Fianna in Longford, Moffatt could be the player to answer his club's crisis call. Nallen's participation in the match is increasingly unlikely - "I would describe my chances at 50-50," said the player - and, so, Moffatt, who has established himself as a highly effective full forward in recent seasons, could be asked to make a journey the length of the pitch to resume his full back career.

He's just glad to be in contention for a place on the team as Crossmolina head into the biggest match in the club's history.

Indeed, lying on the physio's table has become second nature to Moffatt, a player who showed perseverance and patience to battle his way back to fitness in time for last October's county final, only for the injury jinx to strike again in that game. Moffatt fell awkwardly.

Whether he fell on a divot or another player's foot is irrelevant: the result was torn ligaments and a cracked bone in his right foot.

So it was that Moffatt again faced into a long battle to regain fitness and, three months later, on January 6th, started training again with the college.

"It's a very laborious process," recalled Moffatt. "You go out every day heavily strapped up. It takes you ages to get ready, and then you go out training and you are so far off the pace because you haven't trained for months.

"You get there eventually, bit by bit, but it does take you a while and you need great patience."

Moffatt has shown that patience is a virtue. His dedication in recovering from injury means he could provide the solution should Nallen - who had keyhole surgery for a knee injury last month and, then, two weeks ago, had his problems exacerbated when he was hospitalised with a viral infection - fail to make the team.

A former Mayo Under-21 full back, Moffatt was converted into a full forward at the end of the 1997 season. Knowing the special demands of anyone wearing the number three jersey, Moffatt is prepared to answer the club's call for a full back should the need arise.

"I think, in the present climate, if Tom Nallen remains out with his knee injury then we need a full back player. It isn't a position that someone can just step into. You have to have a level of experience there: know when to attack (the ball), when to defend, when to be cautious," said Moffatt.

Crossmolina are bidding to succeed where other Mayo clubs have failed in recent years in their attempt to ultimately annex the title.

"I think our chances are good in that we have prepared very well. Jarlath Cunningham and Tom Jordan's preparations have been second to none. They haven't left a stone unturned, haven't been afraid to ruffle some feathers, to make changes. We'll certainly be very competitive."