It was this time last year that nagging pain led to a difficult decision by Louisville City FC’s Niall McCabe.
With his club in the chase for a United Soccer League championship — and McCabe a regular starter in the midfield — he elected to undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a hip labral tear on his left side.
As LouCity made a run to the Eastern Conference Final, McCabe first watched, then healed before beginning months of rehab toward a return in 2017.
Because of that, “He’s a man I have tremendous respect for,” said coach James O’Connor. “I think when you look at how he dealt with that, where he was mature enough to admit he needed to have the operation—difficult for him to come out at that time.”
“…So I think he’s earned everybody’s respect with the way he’s handled himself off the pitch.”
Lately, McCabe has reminded how much of a threat he can be on the pitch as well. The third-year LouCity man scored a rocket of a goal Wednesday in the 67th minute before assisting Sean Totsch’s headed corner in stoppage time of a 5-0 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders.
Heading into Saturday’s game against Orlando City B, McCabe has totaled three goals to go with three assists, on pace to set career highs in both statistical categories.
“Some say it’s the rehab that he’s coming back strong, but it’s the fatherhood, you know?” joked Paolo DelPiccolo, LouCity’s captain.
McCabe became the first father on the roster in May, when his son, Luca Emmet McCabe, was born.
But, really, “He’s been really excellent the last few games,” DelPiccolo added. “The goals, the assists — I mean really, really, really effective. It’s someone I’m sure the other teams look at and have problems trying to deal with him, so it’s been huge for us.”
McCabe has started six straight games in LouCity’s attacking midfield. In addition to his accomplishments in Wednesday’s Harrisburg game, McCabe scored the opening goal Aug. 12 in LouCity’s 5-0 win over FC Cincinnati, with that strike eventually voted USL Goal of the Week.
The 26-year-old stuck with the script — one game at a time — when reflecting on the work done to get here. A native of Ireland, he remained in the United States during the entirety of the offseason, away from friends and family to rehab daily with Baptist Health’s Scott Ritter, LouCity’s athletic trainer.
With LouCity sitting first in the USL Eastern Conference standings, McCabe’s on track to earn a call during this year’s playoffs.
“It’s kind of toward the end of the season and when the season’s over that you can look back and say, ‘Yeah, it was worth it,’” McCabe said. “If we come away with nothing it wasn’t worth it, but if we come away with something, it’s a massive success.
“Just one game at a time. We’ll focus on the next game.”
