On Saturday 24 January, the Down hurlers begin their experience of playing in Division One of the National League. It is a goal the county has been chasing ever since they dropped out of the top tier way back in 2007.
Their primary goal for 2026 will be to maintain their status in Division One, but one player is more desperate than most to see the team stay up. That player is Chris Egan, who received some terrible news during the championship.
“I was playing the first round of the championship against Ballygalget. I just went to turn and my ACL in my knee ruptured. It is one of the more serious injuries. It is an operation and ten months of rehab. You would nearly rather break a leg because you would bounce back quicker. It is just one of those things.”
That happened back in September. He has gone through surgery and is in the early stages of rehab. He expects to return towards the end of this season. He said he has recovered from the initial sadness of knowing that he is going to miss this intercounty season.
“I was devastated. When you go from hurling as your full-time hobby and a huge part of your life to nothing, it is mind-blowing. It is sport. It is not the end of the world. Everyone wants to keep playing, but it is just one of those things where you have to be mature about it and take the good when it is good and the bad when it is bad. But it is important that you don’t throw the head up and say, ‘that’s it, that’s the career over.’”
Instead, he believes he has a responsibility to support his teammates during their league and championship campaigns over the next six months.
“When I had the injury, Ronan (Sheehan, Down manager) was very supportive, and the county was supportive. Sean Og (McAteer, county secretary) rang me directly. When you have been part of the team for 11 years and you have given that amount of service, then you have that sort of relationship. The county has always been very good to me, so I will always reciprocate and give back in whatever way I can.”
“The easy option for me would be to say that’s it, walk away, and take this year out, but if I can lift water bottles or puc balls out, or do whatever I can, I will.”
In the full article Chris reflects on the 2025 season and explains why it was such an important year for hurling in Down.
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