CUSHENDALL ace Alex Delargy says he’s lucky to be still hurling after suffering a horrific hand injury at work last summer.
A joiner by trade, Delargy lost control of a circular ripsaw and cut off the top of his index finger and almost lost his middle finger.
The wiry midfielder underwent several operations to repair his two fingers and made a miraculous return to hurling action a few months later.
Delargy will be part of the Ruairi Og side that faces Galway champions St Thomas’s in the All-Ireland Club SHC semi-final at Parnell Park in nine days time.
“I did it during the July holidays. I cut my finger with a ripsaw, a circular saw. I had to get skin graft on the index finger and had to get a pin in my middle finger. I’ve no finger nail on my index finger.
Delargy ignored medical advice and declared himself available for Cushendall’s first knock-out Championship game against St John’s where he came on as a substitute.
He started the replay against the west Belfast men before retaining his place for the county final against Loughgiel and the Ulster final against Ballycran.
“I was told not to hurl this year,” Delargy explained.
“I was going up to the hospital every week getting it checked out and I kept pressurising them to give me the go-ahead. But the closer the St John’s game got, I told them I’d be playing regardless.”
Delargy, a left-hander, admitted that had it been his right hand – his catching hand – his hurling career would have been over.
“My grip [on the hurl] will never be 100 per cent but you adapt and you get used to it. I was lucky enough that the injury was on my left hand because I’m left-handed. If it was my right hand I’d be 'goosed'. The fact that it wasn’t my catching hand meant that I can still play. I wear a catching glove on it for protection.”
Delargy played for Antrim’s U21s during Kevin Ryan’s time in charge and would easily have the ability to step up to senior, but so far he’s resisted the chance.
He spent three months in New York in 2017 before returning to play for Cushendall in 2018. One of his finest days on a hurling field was his majestic performance against Sarsfields of Galway in the 2016 All-Ireland semi-final in Navan.
The following month Limerick kingpins Na Piarsaigh hammered them in the All-Ireland decider.
Now that the north Antrim men are back on the All-Ireland stage, Delargy feels Eamonn Gillan’s men are better equipped than three years ago.
“I’d say this current panel is a bit more experienced than the 2016 one. We’ve players that have been there and played on the big occasion, so I think the experience will help us against St Thomas’s.”
Delargy, who is back working as a joiner, is fit for selection while Gillan has injury worries concerning defensive duo Arron Graffin and Martin Burke.
