Clare GAA deny player treated like ‘auld dog’ after injury in club championship

Two sides to the story.

The Clare County Board have denied that one of the county's best young dual players was badly treated after suffering a serious injury in a club championship game at the weekend. Conor Cleary suffered a ankle break during the game between Kilmaley and Inagh Kilnamona. The Miltown St Josephs footballer was this year's Clare U21 hurling captain, and also featured on the fringes of Davy Fitzgerald's senior panel However there was much concern locally as to how he was treated with Kilmaley club manager PJ Kennedy telling Clare FM that despite the player being clearly badly hurt there was no stretcher brought on:

"We knew he was in trouble and Rory Hickey, the referee, stopped the match. He went to the sideline and said, ‘can somebody get a stretcher?’ “There were stewards standing there. They were all looking at each other and nobody knew anything. There was no stretcher. It was very unsavoury. “To make a long story short, we carted him off the field the same as if he was an auld dog. It wasn’t good enough.”

Kennedy also claimed that there was no medical aid available to the player until an ambulance was called. https://twitter.com/kilmaley88/status/636091735857364993 However the Clare county board has denied the claims and said that there was a stretcher available and that the player was treated in accordance with the available medical advice.

"It’s regrettable that Conor Cleary was injured while playing for Kilmaley in Cusack Park on Saturday. Conor is an outstanding Clare hurler and footballer." "All in Clare GAA wish him a speedy recovery. Subsequent to his injury Conor was moved from the pitch with the assistance of the Kilmaley physiotherapist." "Contrary to reports a stretcher was available in Cusack Park on Saturday evening. However upon the advice of the relevant emergency medical services, it was deemed unnecessary for use in this particular case." "Clare GAA would like to record its gratitude to the ambulance services and HSE for their prompt attention and professional service that they provided,” the Clare GAA statement read."

H/T Irish Examiner