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08th Aug 2014

Video: The Donegal man who woke up from a coma during the World Cup is on his feet and kicking ball with Michael Murphy

If your spirits needed lifting on a Friday, this should do the trick.

Conor Heneghan

If your spirits needed lifting on a Friday, this should do the trick.

The World Cup does seem like it took place an age ago at this stage, but Oisín Merritt has more reason to remember the football showpiece than most.

19-year old Oisin, who plays for Finn Harps, fell from a balcony while holidaying in Santa Ponsa in June and having spent a month in a coma after the accident, he woke up during the World Cup and immediately inquired as to how Brazil were getting on, having placed a bet on them before the tournament.

That didn’t quite work out for Oisin, but having been contacted by his cousin Eugene earlier today, we’re glad to be able to report that he’s making huge progress in his rehabilitation.

As well as being able to tell us that Oisin was one week into his rehabilitation, that he was making huge progress and able to walk unassisted again, he also informed us that he’s been banging out a few kick ups with a ball when the nurses weren’t looking and that he got a surprise visit from some special guests earlier today.

Donegal players Michael Murphy and Neil Gallagher stopped by to say hello ahead of tomorrow’s All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Armagh and they were good enough to take part in a little kick-around with Oisin before making their way to Dublin for the big game.

Jim McGuinness might not have been too happy that they were playing soccer and not Gaelic Football but we’re sure he’ll gladly make an exception in this case.

Fair play to Michael and Neil for making the effort to check up on Oisin and we’re delighted to see that Oisin is making such great progress in his rehabilitation from such a serious accident and we’d like to wish him all the best as he continues on the road to recovery.

We can’t help but wonder, meanwhile, seeing as the Brazil bet didn’t go his way, has he a few quid on Donegal to win the All-Ireland?

Main Image via: Josephine O’Neill

Thanks to Eugene Merritt for all his help with this one

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