NO fewer than 78 years passed between Thomastown winning their first and second Kilkenny county hurling titles.
And it felt like a lifetime since Colm Whelan felt as good coming off a football pitch as he did last Friday.
It was not so much that it was his first Premier Division hat-trick, or that it had come against his former club Waterford, but confirmation that, after twice tearing his ACL, he was back.
The Bohemians striker — whose second and third goals were penalties — beamed: “It was an amazing feeling, I really enjoyed it.
“The first goal is the one that you really enjoy hitting. Once it flew in it was emotional, which was lovely.
“All the boys signing the match ball was nice and I gave it to my parents so they have it at home.
“All my family were there — and some of my best mates were in the Bohs section — and they have seen me at the lowest of times and you just want to celebrate with them.”
They had been there for support particularly during his second lay-off when much of his rehab was done at home, having joined Derry City from UCD when still recuperating from his first.
Bohs boss Alan Reynolds — likely to turn to him again against St Pat’s tonight — recalled: “I was at Derry before he signed and the only reason Derry got him was the injury, he was due to go to Lincoln.
“I was pushing Derry to sign him because March/April was his due return, then he did it again.
“He is an exceptional talent. I had him with the Ireland Under-21s, Waterford, and he’s a proper goalscorer.”
And, although former £10million man Lys Mousset was the most eye-catching close-season signing, Reynolds added: “Collie was our main signing, he was one that we went after in November/October, even before that.
“The fella needs a break himself but if he gets a break he wouldn’t be here too long in my view if he can get a run of games and get back.
“It’s going to take him a while to get him to where he needs to be but if he keeps doing what he’s doing, and keeps building on, say 70 minutes, 70 minutes, you’ll see he’s a really good player.”
Had Whelan, 24, stuck to hurling, he might have been playing 70 minutes regularly for the Cats.
He recalled: “I went to all the All-Irelands when Henry Shefflin was playing and then TJ Reid in the last few years.
“I would have hurled until 16s for Kilkenny — midfield or in the backs, so a bit different to football — and then I had to decide, when Waterford came in.
“I had to choose and went down the football path. Thomastown was my club, they won the senior last year, first time in years.
“Some of my friends and stuff were playing, so it was nice.”
An ex-midfielder, he was transformed into a striker with a knack for scoring at, first, Waterford and, then, UCD.
STIFF COMPETITION
A quad injury disrupted preparations for his debut campaign at Bohs, with Mousset arriving just before the kick-off.
Whelan admitted: “It was pretty much, ‘Here’s your competition’.
“It’s great to have him in, so we can feed off each other and get to know each other better.”
If the Frenchman has a distance to go to reclaim some of the lost ground since he was moving for eight figures between Bournemouth and Sheffield United, Whelan’s self-belief has also been tested.
He said: “You are afraid you won’t come back the same way, but you have to keep trying.
“I need to bring what I brought on Friday and, hopefully, I will produce.”
