CLARE HURLING MANAGER Davy Fitzgerald has called for an independent doctor to be present at GAA inter-county matches to make judgements in suspected cases of concussion.
Donegal All-Ireland winning boss Jim McGuinness expressed his concerns earlier this week after his county’s attacker Mark McHugh suffered concussion in the recent Ulster final loss to Monaghan.
And Fitzgerald, who witnessed Banner forward John Conlon severely concussed in their Munster semi-final against Cork in June, shares those worries.
“When it involves head injuries. we just have to be so careful. After the Cork game I said I wasn’t happy about different aspects (of the game) but I wouldn’t elaborate on it.
“The reason I didn’t want to is that I wouldn’t want it to be seen we were taking our beating badly. But that really bothered me, that it wasn’t taken care of properly.
“Concussion is a serious thing and I have only learned a bit more about that since. It took John Conlon a while to recover.
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“There should be an independent doctor that would make a ruling if a player is not right he has to go off until he is right, so that it wouldn’t be the Clare doctor or the Cork doctor.
“The team doctor could call over an independent doctor to verify it so that some medical person would take responsibility and hold him there until the time is right.
“Naturally in a team situation you are going to try and get the player back on the field as quickly as possible but the safety of the player should be paramount. You see it in boxing, the doctor is there and he calls it and that might not be a bad thing to have.”
Conlon
Clare hurler John Conlon
Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy
Fitzgerald outlined how a dangerous situation could have developed if Conlon had played on.
“That day with John Conlon was very funny. He came up to me and said to me “ I don’t what has been happening for the last 5 minutes” and I thought well that is okay now it is sorted.
“But when he came up to me a second time and said the exact same thing to me, I knew I had to take him off and get him out of there straight away. If he had not come up to me for a second time he would have played away.
“That would have been crazy dangerous if that had happened and that is why the head injury issue worries me since that day. I went into hospital with him and it was a great relief that there was nothing seriously wrong.”
However Fitzgerald does not believe the level of physicality in inter-county hurling needs to be diluted.
“I don’t think there is anything wrong with physicality, it is part of our game but it should not be around the head area. Lets not take physicality out of our game.
“I wouldn’t agree with that, but in terms of how we handle things we need to take care with those head injuries. We need to explore something that can done to deal with this.”
It makes sense. And rugby could learn a thing or two from what he is saying too after the Luke Marshall farce earlier this year.
The only concern would be a practical one of how you could filter it down through all levels of the game. However, get it right at senior inter-county and then sort that problem out later.
While a first concussion is bad enough, it’s the subsequent ones that can do serious damage, in rugby there was a mandatory 3 week recovery period to give the head time to recover. This has been replaced by a “cognitive test” based on a series of questions done pre-season there is a belief that players are dumbing down in their answers so if they suffer a concussion they can play on. They will probably continue this until an Acquired Brain Injury occurs. What Davy is saying makes a lot of sense like or loathe him.
Then why did he leave John Conlon on the field last weekend after he got another serious blow to the head? It was obvious to everyone in thurles that he was in trouble but fitzy left him on for another 30+mins. Hypocrite.
Ever since the compulsory helmet wearing has come in, it seems a player is more likely to challenge harder for the ball, knowing that his opponent has the protection of the helmet. This didn’t seem to happen as much pre helmet wearing, as players knew there was no protection. It seems the safety element may be causing the extra risk, but I stand corrected!!
I’ve been involved in a medical capacity on the sidelines with teams for 19yrs now. There should be no need for an independent doctor if those already with the team maintained the impartiality they should have between the welfare of the player and the result of the game that is going on. I would imagine any inter county team doctor would take Davy’s comments as an indication they are not capable of such impartiality. If they are not, then his idea is a valid one.
I got a concussion playing a soccer match and until then I never really thought about how serious it can be. I can vaguely remember the seconds before the hit but I don’t remember playing on for 10 minutes after it, and stopping a penalty! I collapsed a few mins later after kicking the ball out. I lost all memory of that morning and when I went to hospital I couldn’t recognize the doctor a minute after we met. I think after the initial hit you think you’re ok but it comes on you so your inclined to try run it off, but when he told Davy the first time he didn’t remember the last 5 mins he should be taken off, Davy’s not a doctor but even he should have recognized the danger. Rugby US worse for letting lads play on, we will see what’s happening in the US in a few years time, ex pros having mental problems and behavioural changes if we’re not careful
What’s interesting is that same player got a concussion 2 games in a row (v cork and v Galway ) is he doing something other players aren’t? It’s actually quite rare to get a concussion is a match and yet this guy gets two on the trot. Is he charging head first or something?
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Like him or loathe him but Fitzy is talking sense there
It makes sense. And rugby could learn a thing or two from what he is saying too after the Luke Marshall farce earlier this year.
The only concern would be a practical one of how you could filter it down through all levels of the game. However, get it right at senior inter-county and then sort that problem out later.
While a first concussion is bad enough, it’s the subsequent ones that can do serious damage, in rugby there was a mandatory 3 week recovery period to give the head time to recover. This has been replaced by a “cognitive test” based on a series of questions done pre-season there is a belief that players are dumbing down in their answers so if they suffer a concussion they can play on. They will probably continue this until an Acquired Brain Injury occurs. What Davy is saying makes a lot of sense like or loathe him.
Just listening to Davy Fitzgerald gives me a head injury…..
Keep listening :)
It makes sense what he is saying.
Stupid comment on a serious subject.
So true these men play a sport we all watch and enjoy for just the love of the game they should be better looked after
Then why did he leave John Conlon on the field last weekend after he got another serious blow to the head? It was obvious to everyone in thurles that he was in trouble but fitzy left him on for another 30+mins. Hypocrite.
Ever since the compulsory helmet wearing has come in, it seems a player is more likely to challenge harder for the ball, knowing that his opponent has the protection of the helmet. This didn’t seem to happen as much pre helmet wearing, as players knew there was no protection. It seems the safety element may be causing the extra risk, but I stand corrected!!
I’ve been involved in a medical capacity on the sidelines with teams for 19yrs now. There should be no need for an independent doctor if those already with the team maintained the impartiality they should have between the welfare of the player and the result of the game that is going on. I would imagine any inter county team doctor would take Davy’s comments as an indication they are not capable of such impartiality. If they are not, then his idea is a valid one.
I got a concussion playing a soccer match and until then I never really thought about how serious it can be. I can vaguely remember the seconds before the hit but I don’t remember playing on for 10 minutes after it, and stopping a penalty! I collapsed a few mins later after kicking the ball out. I lost all memory of that morning and when I went to hospital I couldn’t recognize the doctor a minute after we met. I think after the initial hit you think you’re ok but it comes on you so your inclined to try run it off, but when he told Davy the first time he didn’t remember the last 5 mins he should be taken off, Davy’s not a doctor but even he should have recognized the danger. Rugby US worse for letting lads play on, we will see what’s happening in the US in a few years time, ex pros having mental problems and behavioural changes if we’re not careful
What’s interesting is that same player got a concussion 2 games in a row (v cork and v Galway ) is he doing something other players aren’t? It’s actually quite rare to get a concussion is a match and yet this guy gets two on the trot. Is he charging head first or something?
Chris he had bad luck against Galway when his head collided with a teammates shoulder. Nothing more.