Tipperary hurler Conor Ryan is in surgery in Cork this morning - having a hurling helmet removed from his hand.
Ryan picked up the bizarre sporting injury yesterday when playing for Clonakenny against Newcestown in the AIB Munster club intermediate semi-final.
Yep, still have no idea how this could happen. Impaled hand on a helmet? #TheToughest pic.twitter.com/6f0qgomcq2
— Lauren Guilfoyle (@LaurenGuilfoyle) November 9, 2015
As this picture doing the rounds online shows - his hand was impaled on the faceguard.
He had to have the helmet strapped to his hand overnight, awaiting the surgery to remove it today.
“They were operating on him this morning, the helmet was strapped to his hand last night,” Clonakenny chairman Gerry O’Hara explained to the42.ie.
“They had to leave it until this morning.”
O’Hara added: “He sent a picture of it to John Joe Ryan, saying ‘thanks for a loan of your helmet but I didn’t want to wear it on my hand!
“At least he saw the other side of it!”
Ryan didn't even have the consolation of a win - Clonakenny lost the match to Newcestown by a point.
We can’t imagine he got much of a night’s sleep with the helmet attached to his hand - let’s hope the surgery goes well.