Lee Desmond happy to be back on the field after concussion nightmare

St Patrick's Athletic’s Lee Desmond. Picture: INPHO/Brian Reilly-Troy

Lee Desmond holds no fears of any lingering issues from his head injury as he seeks to complete his comeback with an FAI Cup final appearance.

Friday, August 13 delivered a dose of horror for the defender after he was hospitalised following an aerial collision with St Patrick’s Athletic colleague Vitezslav Jaros.

As they were clinging onto their 2-1 lead against Waterford, the Czech goalkeeper clattered into his teammate while he was clearing a dangerous bouncing ball inside the six-yard box.

Concern filled the Inchicore air as Desmond fell unconscious and was unable to see or speak when he gradually came around.

The net result was a swollen jaw, black eye and cheekbone damage but the return to play protocol that concussed sportspeople are subject to wasn’t straightforward.

Seven weeks elapsed before he returned to action but he’s built on that substitute appearance against Drogheda United by starting last week at Derry City and is in contention to feature in tonight’s Cup semi against Dundalk.

“When on the second or third stage of the return protocols, I did heavy running and felt fine,” explains the 26-year-old.

“But when I got home from training, all my symptoms came back. I had really bad headaches and was really fatigued.

“I had to stop and start again, having those symptoms for probably another 10 days, which knocked me back a bit.

“I went to see the neurologist in the Mater hospital — I was due to see him anyway — and he was happy enough. I got an MRI scan and that came back clear, and he was happy enough for me to try the return to play protocols again and see how I got on this time.

“I did have very, very light headaches and the odd time I still get them. If I threw my head in front of a shot now, I might still have a little, light headache. But it’s nothing dangerous. The physios are happy for me to carry on. Sometimes people get concussion symptoms for months, and some get them for years, but I am definitely past that now.”

Second place in the league — an improvement on last season’s sixth-place finish — should be wrapped up next week but Pat’s don’t want to be second best in the Cup.

Dundalk are motivated for the different reason of ending the team’s cycle on a high, as an exodus from their dominant core is inevitable, but a first trophy of Stephen O’Donnell’s two-year reign is the target for St Pat’s.

“I’ve been waiting seven years to get to the Aviva and win this Cup,” said Desmond, who joined from Shelbourne in 2014.

“We massively underachieved and there were times where you’d have your doubts. I was delighted when Stephen got the job because I knew as someone who had just finished playing, he’d have modern ideas.

“Everyone was delighted with the style he wanted us to play and demands he was putting on us. Then, of course, you have to sign the right players too, and I think we’ve done that this year.”