- Andrew Dempsey
- Thu, Feb 09 2023
Colm Whelan’s debut Premier Division campaign ended earlier than anticipated – but he is ready to make up for some lost time at Derry City this year.
Whelan joined the Candystripes from UCD in November, just months after he ruptured his ACL when playing for the Students in May against Finn Harps.
That was his last game for the Students, but the Kilkenny native is hoping to get back to full fitness shortly – and is looking to hit the ground running at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium upon his return.
“A lot has happened in a short space of time and I am just looking forward to the season with Derry City,” the 22-year-old told extratime.com.
“I’m just looking forward to getting back out on the pitch and doing what I’m doing.
“I’ll be another couple of months before I am fully back at it.
“But I am just looking forward to getting going. It has been a while since I last played a game.”
Whelan was linked with a summer switch from UCD before injury struck in May at Finn Park. Cruelly, it was his first ever injury setback.
“It was my first injury I’ve had and it was probably the worst you could get,” the former UCD striker added.
“It was disappointing but we’ll get there. It happened against Finn Harps and it was the longest trip back of my life.
“I’m just looking forward to getting back on the pitch.”
While now looking forward to his new chapter with the FAI Cup holders, Whelan missed out on UCD’s end of season survival heroics under Andy Myler in 2022.
And he also missed out on the Ireland Under-21s play-off defeat to Israel.
“In fairness to UCD they were absolutely brilliant to me with the injury and during the second half of the season,” he said.
“They showed that they deserved to be in the league. I was so proud of them and watched every game.
“As regards to the Ireland Under-21s I was disappointed to miss out on the play-offs and it was heart-breaking to watch that shootout in Israel.
“If we got through I would have been fit by the time the tournament came around but what can you do? I was at home watching but I was kicking every ball with them.”
During his injury setback, Whelan opted to undertake a master’s degree in food health & nutrition in UCD – and he will continue it while playing for Derry City.
“I am doing an online master’s in food health and nutrition in UCD so I am trying to balance that at the moment,” he said. “It is difficult but I will hopefully get through it.
“I decided to do it while I was injured and have something to do.”
Despite not training fully with his new teammates since his Foyleside switch, Whelan is settling in well off the pitch at his new employer at least.
“I have really enjoyed it,” he said. “I have settled in really well with the lads and they are all really sound.
“When you walk down the street everyone is in Derry City gear and everyone is mad about football so it’s really nice to see.
“Just seeing the crowd they brought down for the cup final was unbelievable. They brought almost 25,000 supporters with them to the Aviva and it was amazing to see.”
But the message has already been made clear to Whelan that City are hunting down a league title under Ruaidhri Higgins this season after winning the FAI Cup.
“That will be the aim but we just have to concentrate on ourselves and hopefully we will be there or thereabouts,” he added.
