SKY SPORTS GAA commentator Paul Earley says his new cycling helmet saved his life after a high speed collision with a van during a charity event.
The recently unveiled commentator was taking part in the ‘Race the Rás’ event on Thursday when he crashed head on into the back of the van. However, thanks to his helmet Early insists he will be fit and ready for the start of the broadcaster’s GAA coverage early next month.
The former Roscommon All-Star footballer says he was travelling at ‘20ks per hour’ when the accident happened. “I hit the van front and centre,” he said. “Actually, the interesting thing is I changed my helmet on Saturday last… I’m not saying the other one wouldn’t have worked, but this was a good helmet it was about €100, but it was certainly well worth it.”
The former TV3 and Setanta sports presenter was in the fourth stage of the charity event which he has helped run over the past four years. ‘We cycle the route of the Rás ahead of the actual Rás in the morning,” explained, “and raise money for the Irish breast cancer research institute.” Earley was 70 kilometres in to the stage, cycling from Charleville to Cahersiveen when the “freak” accident occurred. He commented:
I was climbing a hill and I lost a bit of contact from the front group. I was in the hard shoulder with my head down, going up the hill, just looking three or four yards ahead as you do climbing a hill. Our support van pulled in on the hard shoulder in front of me and I crashed head first in to it. But thankfully the helmet saved me and there was no spinal or bone damage.”
Earley told friends [on Facebook] that his injuries include ‘compressed discs resulting in severe neck pain, broken tooth and deep cut through my lip and mouth’. “After yesterday,” he added, “I can’t overstate the importance of getting a good quality, properly fitted helmet.”
The Irish International Rules manager, who was the first GAA player recruited from Ireland to play an Australian Rules game in 1984, underwent immediate plastic surgery on his facial injuries. Earley, who raised €7,000 for the event, said, “There is an element of risk with all cycling, but this shouldn’t have happened. When we meet up with the team we’ll see then what exactly was the cause.”
Last week Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick was left with a broken hip after he was involved in a cycling accident during a charity event. The former Louth GAA manager also credited his helmet in preventing far more serious injuries.
The Race the Rás event also attracted other former GAA stars such as RTE’s Tomas O’Se and Eamon O’Hara. Sky make their live GAA championship debut on 7 June 7 at Nowlan Park. The broadcasters will be hoping to have the most experienced member of their team available for action.
“I don’t think it’ll be a problem. It’s a few weeks away, maybe if it was this weekend there’d be a bit of a problem. I had to have surgery on a very bad mouth cut, and I have to still get my tooth repaired. I should be OK. Body is pretty sore, but I should be OK.
“I’m absolutely looking forward to it though. I missed a press conference on Monday because of the cycling, but yes it’s a good challenge and exciting times bringing the GAA to a wider audience.”
