Ashling Thompson seems remarkably relaxed for a woman who’s suffered a serious concussion just weeks ago.
The Milford and Cork star took hold of the O’Duffy Cup last month but the Rebels’ captain clearly wasn’t 100% in the moment after her side sealed yet another All-Ireland triumph.
The Milford star seemed unsteady on her feet and it was no surprise when she admitted in her victory speech that she was suffering the after-effects of a concussion from the game.
Ashling Thompson admits she's 'a small bit concussed' in her winning speech after lifting O'Duffy in Croker. pic.twitter.com/MuRQ9SyaMy
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 13, 2015
The Milford woman is never afraid to put her body on the line but speaking at the launch of the AIB club championships in Parnells GAA club in Dublin, the Cork captain reveals that she didn’t seek any medical help or alert anyone to her condition after the game,
“No, well, I actually can’t remember. I think I only said it in the speech. Â AÂ few of the girls asked me alright was I ok, but I always say ‘yeah I’m grand’ so no, I don’t think I said anything. I could have said it but I suppose everyone just wanted to get out and go straight to the pub. I was standing up and I was fine and my eyes were open so to them it was probably ‘ah she’s grand’.”
The issue of head injury and concussion is one the GAA and the camogie association are trying their best to work on educating both players and managers about. Thompson admits that she did suffer some worrying after effects in the hours and days following the All-Ireland final,
“I was a bit dazed and my speech, I didn’t really know what I was saying when IÂ was talking and I was thinking really hard of what I was going to say. Other than that, I had a bit of a headache actually but after a few hours it passed.”
Thompson ‘s relaxed attitude may be explained by the fact that the concussion suffered in the All-Ireland final was not the first head injury she has been on the receiving end of during her camogie career. The club midfielder explained that she was in much worse condition after a  league clash with Kilkenny in 2012,
‘Yes, I came back to the senior team three years ago, it was my first game against Kilkenny, and we played in Nowlan Park in the league and it was way worse than the concussion in the All-Ireland. I was coming out with the ball and I fell over someone’s leg and again my head hit the ground first, I toppled basically and landed on my head and I put out my shoulder as well. I cannot remember the second half of that game at all.’
‘For two days I was completely out of it.’
Thompson admits that the issue of concussion is a huge one in sport but that she doesn’t see what happened to her last month as danger to her long-term heath
“I know you have to take them all  and take the right precautions for any sort of concussion. Again I didn’t have time to think because I was concussed from the alcohol, as well you know! No, I didn’t and I probably should have. I get desperate belts and it’s nearly always to the head and it’s always head first. I’m used to it, it’s not an excuse, but I’m used to it.
I remember walking up the steps but can’t remember saying what I said but looking back on it now my god, I would give that speech a solid two, it was terrible. But I’m glad that i mentioned that I was slightly concussed because it was that bad.
Milford are looking for yet another Cork senior camogie title in the coming days as they face great rivals St Catherines in the Rebel showpiece. Thompson has not had much time with her club during the season but on her return to local action was thrust back into action at centre-field, just a week after the All-Ireland success.
She explains that getting back to club action is sometimes an odd feeling after an All-Ireland success
“I got texts from some of the girls to say well done and that was it. The girls were totally zoned in on club championsip, which was only fair. Why would you be concentrating on a team you don’t play with? So yeah, it was tough love. Obviously there were girls who came over and said well done but it was a two-second job and out the gap, completely forgotten about.”“It’s tough. A lot of anxiety, separation anxiety and then the cold shoulder at training. it is tough because you’re still expecting the red carpet to be thrown out for you when you get back to club training and it’s not. It is tough to take when you come down from such a high.”
