Monday, October 21, 2013
Aidan Walsh attempted to convince medics he was fit to continue after shipping what appeared to be a serious knee injury in Saturday’s first test.
Despite hobbling after the game, the Ireland vice-captain declared himself fit for the second test in Croke Park and there was a collective sigh of relief in Kanturk too ahead of significant intermediate hurling and football games in the coming weeks. His phone was backlogged with voice and text messages of concern from home about his setback but he reassured everyone of his well being.
“I wanted to stay on,” he said. “After two or three minutes they said you have to get off and it probably looked worse than it probably was. It was only a bang just below the knee. It will be grand with ice.”
He explained: “It was just a tender spot below the knee. I got a bang of a hurley (against Fermoy in the intermediate semi-final) and then your man got his studs right down on top of it and it was throbbing and very painful.
“There is a small bit of lump that will go down. But with rest and ice it will be grand. I should be alright for Saturday. It is going to be a great occasion in Croke Park under lights and they are the games you want to be involved in so I will rest the next few days and it should be fine.”
Walsh was delighted with the 22-point win but knows the job is only half done. “The Australians after that first quarter came into it and started moving the ball that bit better and when we gave them space they cut us open and created a lot of opportunities. I’ve no doubt on Saturday night again they will be better.
“We met them on Thursday night and they were saying they only started playing with the round ball last Monday so another week of playing with the round ball will see them improve even more so we will have to up it again.”
It hardly stops for Walsh there as Kanturk’s Cork IHC final against Ciaran Sheehan’s Éire Óg has been re-fixed for Sunday, November 3.
The following Wednesday, Kanturk are down to face Glanmire in a re-fixed intermediate football championship game. “If you win that night you are playing the following weekend so you are looking at three games in a week. The lads at home, we played the first round six months ago and playing the second round now it’s a bit of a gap but that’s the way it goes.”