Courageous two-time Sligo stroke victim refuses to give up hope of playing football again

Johnny Martyn is not ready to give up.

The 34-year-old Sligo defender is currently recovering from his second stroke in less than two years, but in an interview with RTÉ.ie he admits he hopes to return to Gaelic football in the future. A substitute for an FBD League match against Leitrim last month, Martyn was warming up in preparation for coming on when he began to fell unwell. He was treated by the team doctor Declan Clinton before being brought to hospital. He knew the symptoms from a previous stroke suffered in the run-up to Sligo's July 2014 qualifier against Cork. Martyn presumed the surgery he underwent following his first stroke would prevent a reoccurrence but, despite his latest scare, he is hopeful of playing again, at least for his club Tubbercurry.

''This doesn't happen too often and the doctors want to get to the bottom of it. Going back playing football is a good distance away at the moment and if I do go back, the fear will always be there," he said. “But if there's a chance I can go back I think I'd have the heart to do it because I'm playing football from a young age and it's hard to just walk away. I'm not 44, I'm 34 so I still feel physically able for it.''