A GAA player injured in his first match for a San Francisco club has been transferred to a rehabilition facility having come out of a five-week coma.
Mark McGovern (22), from Belcoo, Co Fermanagh, received a head injury during an off-the-ball incident in a GAA football match on June 25th in San Francisco.
He had arrived in the US five days earlier, where he was to work for the summer and joined local GAA club Ulster San Francisco.
An update from the player’s home club in Fermanagh, Belcoo O’Rahilly’s, yesterday quoted his sister Grace, who has been in San Francisco since he was hurt.
“Mark has now regained consciousness and is fully aware of his surroundings and everyone around him,” Ms McGovern said in a Facebook post. “Mark is yet to talk but has been trying to lip words in order to communicate with us. Mark has attempted a few steps with assistance.
“From being told Mark may not make it through the first night to beating a liver condition, pneumonia and MRSA alongside his brain injury, he has fought everything that has been put in front of him,” she added.
Police said they wished to speak to a player on the opposing team, who was Irish and living in the bay area of San Francisco. However, they said he had thus far refused to answer questions, as was his constitutional right in the US.
A spokeswoman for San Francisco General Hospital said Mr McGovern’s condition had been updated from serious to fair. He was subsequently transferred to a rehabilition facility yesterday.
Belcoo O’Rahilly’s has set up a fund to cover some of the costs of Mr McGovern’s treatment. Those who wish to can donate through the club or online at mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/markmcgovern supportfund.
A fundraiser is due to take place in the Bush Bar, Blacklion, Co Cavan, on August 18th.