Kenny back in action after concussion

OFFALY’S David Kenny is hoping to line out in Sunday week’s Allianz NHL Division One clash against Galway despite suffering concussion in Saturday’s abandoned Walsh Shield final.

The game against Carlow at Dr Cullen Park was brought to a sudden end three minutes into extra-time when the Belmont man was knocked out after landing awkwardly.

Although he has yet to consult the Offaly team doctor, the defender has reported no ill effects since and rubbished reports he lost feeling in his arm after the concussion.

“It kind of looked worse than it was when the game was stopped,” recalled Kenny.

“I was knocked out for a small bit, but with the game being called off there was more made of it. I only got pins and needles in my arm. I don’t know where the report of me losing feeling in my arm came out of.

“It was just a bang to the back of the head. I can’t remember the incident, just waking up and people all around me. By that stage, it was getting dark and really wet so they thought it best to call it off at that stage.

“The doctor [Tom Foley] there was great and they took every precaution, but it looked worse than it really was.”

Kenny was immediately brought to St Luke’s General Hospital in Kilkenny but was released after a couple of hours.

However, he was on a flight back to London on Sunday night where he is currently working.

“I was lucky in the way the match was on Saturday because if it had been on Sunday I would have been missing work and changing flights would have been a bit of a disaster,” said Kenny.

“I’m working as an environmental adviser with a company in London at the minute. There was nothing at home, so I had no choice. I couldn’t sit around and wait any longer.”

Kenny is planning to return home weekends to train and line out for Offaly. He had already booked flights for this weekend so he could play against Cork in Sunday’s Division 1 opener in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

However, he admits his current circumstances are far from ideal and affecting his hurling.

“You see it in your touch,” he conceded. “You’re coming back every weekend and seeing lads flying and it’s taking about 30 minutes into the game before your eye is in,”! he said.

Kenny’s incident on Saturday brings to mind Dr Pat Duggan’s warning last December that concussion — which had represented just 1% of all injuries — would become a bigger issue in Gaelic games.

The Association’s medical and welfare committee, of which Duggan is a member, are considering recommending the introduction of a concussion substitute rule, which would see a player suspected of incurring the injury being replaced so as to allow proper examination.