Conal Keaney is beginning to see the light in his battle back from serious injury.
The Ballyboden St Enda's player sustained a serious lateral ligament knee injury last summer when his motorbike collided with a van last July.
The injury threatened to bring his inter-county career to a crushing end but after some intensive rehabilitation, the former Dublin footballer is back running and is hoping he will be fit to return to the senior hurling panel in time for the start of the Leinster Championship on May 29.
"Although I am not at the end of the line yet, I can at least see the end of the line," he said.
"At the moment I am back running in straight lines and hope to progress up a level to zig-zag running in the next week or so.
"I never thought I would be so happy to get out running on the pitch as many people would say I was never too keen on running at any stage… I hope the worst is over and I'm still keeping my fingers crossed."
Keaney was joined in the treatment room by Stephen Hiney and Tomas Brady and the dual star has revealed that all three are working hard to return to fitness.
"I am doing about 25 hours' rehab per week. But this is what has to be done and it's the same with Stephen Hiney and Tomas Brady - we just want to get back playing." he added.