Federer says the product helps him manage his back injuries and went as far as to claim: “I don’t think I’d have won in Australia and Wimbledon this year without it”.

Cork hurling goalkeeper Anthony Nash calls it foam rolling “in beast mode”, while Hartmann, widely known for his success treating injured athletes, says the BackBaller helps users to “normalise the muscle tissue in a very controlled and stable manner, which is the key when self-treating your back muscles.”

The BackBaller concept takes the popular concept of foam rolling up a level, claiming to provide more focused muscle relief by allowing athletes to apply SMR (self-myofascial release) in a more vigorous and controlled manner.

Now living in Clare, and a carpenter by trade, Marshall has a profitable history of inventing; his ‘Bricky’ tool is widely used internationally in the construction sector.

As an athlete, he holds a national 1500m title at U23 level and competed many times for Ireland but drifted away from sport after being inhibited by chronic back complaints.

It was when training the Wolfe Tones U16 hurling team in Shannon that he noticed how widely used foam rollers are among young players and began to use rollers to improve his own condition.

He then developed a prototype when combined two rollers together in a frame and immediately felt the benefits. Soon he was exercising and golfing pain-free for the first time in years.

“I can recall the frustrations I had over my own injuries in my lower back, and that was at a time when foam rollers didn’t exist,” Marshall says.

“That was the main inspiration that led to creating the BackBaller, as it can apply to every muscle in the body in a ten-step program that takes only 20 minutes.”

Soon, the BackBaller had become an essential part of many Irish athletes’ routine across a range of sports.

“Just last week I was talking to Con O’Callaghan about how he and Diarmuid Connolly always use them as part of their warm-down,” said Marshall.

“The Cork senior hurlers and Mayo senior footballers are all using them, while the likes of Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick are incorporating them in the Premier League.

“We had Keith Earls and Ian Madigan on board after the launch in Shannon last year, and with lads of that level involved it is a real boost.

“Getting the order of 60 units from Manchester City was a milestone definitely, that really opened up the possibility of facilitating Premier League clubs.

“I made the trip over and it was a case of door-stepping from club to club, and returning home with 13 Premier League teams now using the product.

“The Miami Dolphins kickstarted things in the NFL, and while I was over there they gave me the contacts of other clubs. The possibilities are endless with so many different sports all needing some form of aid to stave off injury or aid recovery for their players”.

At a chance meeting with then club captain John Terry at Chelsea’s training ground last year, the now Villa man told Marshall he loves using the Backballer.

Connacht Rugby, Sale Sharks and rugby league side Wigan Warriors are all on board and the simple invention has already sold over 12,000 units in its first year with Marshall busily adding new teams and new sports every week.

“The likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid are the next names on the list. They both use foam rollers so why not the best one available in the market?”