FORMER Tyrone GAA captain Sean Cavanagh has expressed thanks for messages of support after suffering a concussion, broken nose and extensive facial injuries during a weekend game.
The three-times All-Ireland winner, who retired from inter-county football last year, had to be carried from the field and taken by ambulance to hospital after being injured during a club championship clash between Moy and Edendork in Dungannon on Saturday.
Six players - three from each team - were sent off as 27 cards were brandished during what the Moy club described as a "horrible game of football", although the incident which saw Cavanagh injured was judged an accidental collision and no action was taken.
His brother Colm was among the players sent off - all for second yellow card offences - as Edendork went on to secure a narrow victory on a 0-10 to 0-09 scoreline.
An image of Sean Cavanagh's injuries was later circulated on social media.
The player himself did not comment on the incident, except to tweet his thanks for messages of support and reveal he had suffered a "bad concussion, broken nose & extensive facial injuries".
He added that it "could have been much worse. I'm lucky".
— Sean Cavanagh (@SeanCavanagh14) September 16, 2018
In response to a query about being released home with a concussion, he said: "Thankfully my wife is a doctor & agreed to look out for post concussion symptoms."
Cavanagh, whose published his autobiography My Obsession last week, is married to Dungannon-based GP Fionnuala Vernon, a brother of Armagh player Charlie Vernon.
In a report on the match posted on Facebook yesterday, Moy Tír na nÓg GAC said: "A horrible game of football was marred early on by a serious and nasty facial injury sustained by our five-time All-Star Sean Cavanagh. It was a sickening sight for An Mhaigh Gaels to see Sean being carried off the field, concussed and badly hurt, and then transported by ambulance to Craigavon hospital. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope he returns to action again soon."
Meanwhile, Tyrone star Connor McAliskey also suffered a serious injury in a club game at the weekend, breaking an ankle during his Clonoe side's 1-11 to 2-09 loss to Ardboe at Coalisland on Sunday night.
And there were calls for action after a mass brawl marred an intermediate championship game between Strabane and Stewartstown in Omagh on Friday night.
Video footage appeared to show kicks and punches being thrown as around 30 players were involved in a melee at Healy Park. Four red cards were later handed out.
In a statement last night, Tyrone GAA chiefs said that "following on from the weekend Tyrone club championship matches, the Tyrone County Committee wish to state that all or any disciplinary action will be a matter of consideration by the Tyrone CCC (Competitons Control Committee) and based on the referee's report plus examination of the video recording of the games".
"The matters arising will be dealt with in an urgent manner and following due process as stipulated in the rules of the association and the Official Guide, the CCC will determine the relevant penalties.
"We would wish to condemn all of the ugly scenes of unwarranted violence.
"We wish also to extend good wishes to all players who incurred injuries - whether accidentally or otherwise."
Sean Cavanagh speaks about his autobiography My Obsession on RTÉ Radio 1's Today with Sean O'Rourke:
