From being housebound to making a European Team of the Week alongside Francesco Totti, the last five months have been some turnaround for Ciaran Kilduff, writes Stephen Barry.
Only last April Kilduff was confined to a back brace for 10 days after suffering a fractured vertebrae in a collision with an opposition goalkeeper.
Yet his quick rehab helped take him from barely being able to move to the heights of European football, where he has excelled as a goalscoring substitute.
He headed in the 89th-minute equaliser against AZ Alkmaar as Dundalk became the first Irish side to earn a group-stage point in the Europa League.
Then last night – on his 28th birthday – he went one better, scoring the only goal as the Lilywhites clinched a 1-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv.
His goals have put Dundalk second in Group D, added €480,000 in prizemoney to the club’s bank account and earned him a place in the Europa League Team of the Week.
Introducing the https://t.co/kivzZlwa6p #UEL Team of the Week... pic.twitter.com/KswzriU0QQ
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) September 30, 2016
But his feet certainly haven’t left the ground.
He was interviewed after the game by Philip Egan and offered to give the Today FM reporter a lift home if he was stuck.
Egan wrote on Twitter: “Ciaran Kilduff scores the winner against Maccabi & after I interviewed him he asked me was I alright for a lift #GreatestLeagueInTheWorld”
Ciaran Kilduff scores the winner against Maccabi & after I interviewed him he asked me was I alright for a lift #GreatestLeagueInTheWorld
— Philip Egan (@PhilEganTodayFM) September 29, 2016
But, as he said himself, “It’s not about me tonight.”
"It's not about me tonight" - Birthday boy @CiaranKilduff was full of praise for his teammates! #LOIinEurope https://t.co/F0OfDA4nzi
— eir Sport (@eirSport) September 29, 2016
Class act.
