Football

Poland recalls freak eye injury

MARK Poland recalled the moment he thought he'd lost vision in one eye after a freak accident in the warm-up to Sunday's Division Two final against Roscommon at Croke Park.

However, Poland's worst fears were allayed a couple of hours later after being treated by an eye specialist at a Dublin hospital.

Named to start in Down's half-forward line on Sunday, the popular Longstone clubman was pole-axed by a stray kick-out by goalkeeper Stevie Kane.

"Stevie was taking a kick-out in the warm-up and I was walking across the 'D'," Poland (above) explained.

"He must have mis-kicked the ball and it hit me full in the face. I was out cold for a couple of seconds and there was blood coming out of my mouth. The doctors and physios came over; I opened my eye and it was completely blurred. I didn't know what to think."

Twenty-four hours after the accident, Poland's eye is no longer bloodshot and he hopes to get a comeback date after another hospital appointment tomorrow.

"There was blood behind the eye, but once the blood disperses it should be okay," Poland said.

"The hospital gave me drops. It's still blurry at the minute but the drops help clear it."

The Mournemen face Derry in their Ulster Championship opener on June 7 and Poland fully expects to be back on the field long before then.

* More Down follow-up....P58