Kilkenny full back’s frightening sliotar to face shows how important your head guard is

The commotion of the players was enough to tell you that this was a very concerning injury.

Kilkenny scraped out of the relegation zone on the last day of the regular national hurling league with a win against Dublin and, in doing so, they booked their place in the quarter-finals. They had to do it against adversity though when Padraig Walsh was forced to come off at half time with a head injury after a God-awful shot straight up the face. Eamon Dillon came storming through for the Dubs in the first period and rocketed an effort that was denied by the face of Walsh who was naturally laid out on the turf after the horrific clash. Dillon goes to drive an almighty effort at the Kilkenny goals. The follow-through is ferocious. But Walsh has hurled himself in front. The sliotar is actually behind Dillon again before he's even finished swinging. Walsh took it straight in the face guard. What's most concerning is the hearty Cats player continued for the rest of the half - everyone knows it would take something pretty damn world-beating to lay a Walsh out. But perhaps it helps shed a light on concussion protocols for the GAA, that when a player gets a head injury, they must be assessed properly before continuing. As it was, Walsh came off at the break and is believed to have gone to hospital to get checked afterwards and is said to be fine. Tough doesn't even come close to describing it.