DORAN ON THE MEND
Anger in Oylegate-Glenbrien after star player’s jaw broken
THE CONDITION of Wexford inter-county hurling forward Podge Doran is improving after he was injured in an off-the-ball incident during the course of Oylegate-Glenbrien’s clash with neighbours Shamrocks in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship on Friday week last.
Doran received a cracked jawbone when he was struck during the opening half of the game played in St. Patrick’s Park, but somehow managed to play out the entire 60 minutes despite the close physical attention he received throughout.
Now his club Oylegate-Glenbrien will likely call on the County Board to carry out a full investigation into the game, particularly the incident involving their outstanding full-forward, as they feel particularly aggrieved at the reaction of referee Barry Redmond who issued a yellow card after the incident.
As a result of the injury received, Podge attended Wexford General Hospital the following day (Saturday). Having attended his dental surgeon on Monday he was informed the jaw bone was cracked. And after travelling to St. James’ Hospital in Dublin on the Tuesday he was told ‘the injury did not need treatment but would mend sufficiently’.
An irate club spokesman said: ‘Given the extent of the injury, Podge could not eat or drink for days. He was told the jaw would come right but to get your jaw cracked is no fair thing on a hurling field. Once the referee could produce a yellow card for striking with a hurl it should have been an automatic red in this instance.
‘After that Podge got digs in the ribs, while he also got the bang of a hurley on the back of the head. It was a great achievement for the player to go on and score three points after that type of treatment,’ he added. ‘We got a man sent-off on a straight red for putting his hand on the linesman’s shoulder, just pointing out to him did he see the Shamrocks player pull the helmet off one of our players.
‘When you saw what the Mayo player was sent-off for yesterday and no-one injured, just a mere child’s tap, it makes one wonder what a player has to do in Wexford hurling. Striking with a hurley, a player’s jaw broken, and just a yellow card.’
Commenting on a possible investigation into the incident, the club spokesman said: ‘Podge hurled in some of the finest inter-county games seen this year and hadn’t to contend with such physicality.
‘We (club) are meeting tonight (Monday) and I’ll be calling for a full investigation by the County Board. That’s the least the club and above all the player are entitled to,’ he added.