 disaster struck on the 27th of March 1983 when he was the victim of a terribly crude tackle from Mick Fairclough of Dundalk which resulted in a broken leg.Doctors told him he would never play again so a testimonial was held for him at Glenmalure Park on 21 September 1983.However two years later he made a comeback for Waterford United where he scored an own goal in the FAI Cup Final in 1986 against Rovers.