Cork camogie star Ashling Thompson has admitted that she doesn’t remember what she said in the speech she gave after winning the All-Ireland final in September.
The Cork captain also admitted she was not put through concussion protocols even after mentioning feeling concussed during the speech.
Thompson led Cork to their second All-Ireland title in a row last month, beating Galway 1-13 to 0-09 in the final.
But yesterday, while promoting the club championships, she admitted a blow to the head in the dying minutes of the game left her dazed and confused.
“I remember walking up the steps but can’t remember saying what I said,” she told the Irish Times. “But looking back on it now, my God, I would give that speech a solid two. It was terrible.
“I’m glad that I mentioned that I was slightly concussed because it was that bad.”
Thompson rambled and got names mixed-up during the speech from the Hogan Stand: “I actually called our fitness coach Kevin Mulcahy ‘Kevin Murray’. I didn’t even thank my club or anything.”
In a clear indication of the work still to be done to ensure concussion is treated seriously; Thompson was not checked out even after mentioning concussion in her speech.
“I didn’t have time to think [about getting checked out], sure I was concussed from the alcohol,” she said, playing down the possible injury.
“A few of the girls asked me alright was I okay, but I always say, ‘Yeah, I’m grand’ so no, I don’t think I said anything.
“I could have said it but I suppose everyone just wanted to get out and go straight to the pub.
“I was standing up and I was fine and my eyes were open so to them it was probably, ‘Ah she’s grand’. I didn’t and I probably should have.”
Thompson’s description of her symptoms in the hours after the incident seem like a textbook description of concussion, although she said she recovered quickly without long-term effects that she is aware of.
“I was a bit dazed and my talking – I didn’t really know what I was saying when I was talking,” Thompson said. “I was thinking really hard of what I was going to say.
“Other than that, I had a bit of a headache actually but after a few hours it passed.”