Loughlin injury the main focus in both camps after hurling clash

The injury to Luke Loughlin was the main focus for both managers following last Sunday's Westmeath Senior 'A' hurling championship match between Castletown Geoghegan and Clonkill.

Westmeath football star Loughlin, who is also a key player for the Clonkill hurling team, collapsed on the TEG Cusack Park pitch, having rejoined the action after being treated for a blood injury.

There was a lengthy delay as the player was treated on the pitch and then taken to the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar. A Clonkill official told the Irish Independent that Loughlin had a CT scan which was clear, and he was kept in overnight for observation.

After Sunday's match, Clonkill manager Mickey Dan Murtagh wasn't overly concerned with his side's defeat and was more focused on the welfare of attacking ace Loughlin, who also plays football for The Downs.

Murtagh felt it was a strange ending to the match and revealed that consideration was given to forfeiting the game when Loughlin sustained that head injury.

Reflecting on what occurred, he said: “It's unusual but it's kind of one of those days, it's messy enough. To be honest with you, we were going to forfeit the game and we said we would ask the players what they wanted to do. They said that they wanted to play on, so look, we played on,” he remarked.

While the main concern was the head injury to Loughlin, Clonkill also lost wing back Brian Gaffney to injury.

“Overall, we are struggling a bit players being absent anyway and the injuries were a blow also, but look, what can we do,” remarked Murtagh.

Naturally, there was a lot of concern in the Clonkill camp about the health status of Loughlin, but he was lucid getting into the ambulance and there was relief that he had made a recovery at that stage.

“He is conscious anyway, so that's the main thing. The result bears little significance at this stage, I suppose and it's onwards and upwards,” said Murtagh. “The next game is the important one; we just have to get on with it.”

Overall, the game was overshadowed by the injury to Loughlin, and it resulted in a lengthy delay. It was difficult for all concerned to know what was happening at that stage and there was the possibility of the game being brought to a premature end.

Castletown Geoghegan manager Alan Mangan said: "Barry Kelly (referee) said, ‘we'll see if the ambulance is able to come and be gone within 20 minutes, half an hour, we'll continue on; if it's not, we'll just abandon the game and play it later in the week or whatever’. We said, as a club, ‘it's only a game at the end of the day’. Obviously, players' welfare and health is what's most important.

"He's a phenomenal athlete. We all saw what he did in the first half with the goal that he scored and how dangerous he can be. But at the end of the day, it's all about life and health and making sure that he's okay. As a club, we were just hoping that he is okay. And we said to Mickey Dan (Murtagh) and Brendan (Shaw, county secretary) out there that if they want to abandon the game, we have no problem with that. It's only sport at the end of the day," Mangan continued.

Indeed, the first man to attend to Loughlin when he collapsed was Castletown Geoghegan player Aonghus Clarke, who went over and actually put the Clonkill player into the recovery position.

"Luke is very likeable character and all the lads in the dressing room would have a great time for him. When someone gets seriously injured and hurt, there is concern," said Mangan.

"He looked fine when he was putting back on the number 30 jersey and taking a drink of water. He jogged back on and he was laughing up to the crowd. But then something must have happened. He took a bit of a turn and we just hope that he's okay."

Mangan was satisfied his side won the match but stressed that when they are at full strength, Clonkill will be a tougher proposition. The seven-point victory (0-27 to 3-11) was a fair reflection of the black and amber team00's overall dominance, but Mangan was quick to point to an understrength Clonkill side on the day.

“We'd like to think that we were clear-cut winners in the end, but they were missing three of their best players. Those players (who were absent) are worth seven or eight points to Clonkill, and maybe even more. So, we're under no illusions that Clonkill are still there and they're not going anywhere.”

Having tasted defeat in their first round game, Castletown knew they needed a victory to get back on course. "It's up to us to just keep winning the rest of our games and see where we end up in this championship. Our aim is to make sure we get to the semi-final and you never know what might happen Raharney along the way, or what way things might go. We needed the win, and we got it," added Mangan.

*See match report in this week's paper.