MAYO BOSS STEPHEN Rochford was quick to offer an explanation following yesterday’s worrying incident involving Lee Keegan.
The wing back collided with Eoin Cadogan in the 50th minute of Mayo’s 1 – 18 to 0 – 12 defeat at the hands of Cork. Despite both men being left crumpled on the turf, only Cadogan was substituted and it took the Connacht side a further 10 minutes before helping Keegan to a seat on the bench.
Post-match the county swiftly released a statement admitting that the 26-year-old should have been withdrawn after the initial collision. Rochford moved to explain the sideline’s view of the incident, beginning with the point that Cadogan’s was a clearer case as he had been cut whereas Keegan wasn’t visibly wounded.
“The medical team were communicating with him,” Rochford told Newstalk’s Dave McIntyre.
“Sometimes you (have to) mind the player from himself, but he was responsive and communicating with the doctor. Once we were able to see that he wasn’t himself, he was pulled.”
In the age of instant replay, it is easier than ever before for sideline medics to be made aware of a clash or collision that is likely to cause concussion such as a serious whiplash or head-to-head contact. And, it seems, that’s what eventually brought Keegan to the safety of the bench in Páirc Uí Rinn.
“Clearly our video analysis team and our doc could have noticed it straight away and as quickly as we could get him out of the field…
“(Keegan) was communicating at the end of the game and hopefully, if there is a concussion aspect, then it’s something minor.”
