Kevin Nolan has revealed how he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes just months after producing a man of the match performance in the 2011 All-Ireland football final.

The Kilmacud Crokes defender was diagnosed as being a coeliac just three days after the memorable comeback win over Kerry and found out he was diabetic just before Christmas of that year. As a consequence, Nolan lost two-and-a-half stone and his place on the Dublin starting XV.

"For about two-and-a-half weeks I'd found myself waking up to go to the toilet at 2am and needing to go again at 3am and so on. I lost two-and-a-half stone and got checked out and it was confirmed as Type 1 diabetes," he wrote in a blog on the Dublin GAA Facebook page.

"It's not a lifestyle issue, it's just a genetic thing. There's no one else in my family that has the condition but it was there in my genes.

"Initially, when I was told I wasn't sure what to expect and what it meant for my sporting career. But it was when I got involved with Beaumont that I learned that it wasn't the end of my sporting career. They were never negative."

The 2011 All Star added: "It was a real shock to the system at first and getting used to the insulin injections but the backroom staff in Dublin have been a huge help.

"Working with (Dublin team doctor) David Hickey and the staff in Beaumont Hospital was brilliant and I can overcome this and still be the best I can be as an athlete. The only problem is that the competition for places in Dublin is just unreal. I had a long year last year and after Kilmacud Crokes lost to Ballymun in the county final Jim Gavin was very understanding and he told me to take a break and recharge physically and mentally.

"I took a break for November and December but in hindsight this didn't work out well because when I came back in the lads were already flying and it has been tough trying to get back into the team." Tweet

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