Johnny Glynn has recounted the day he feared he had killed incoming GAA president Larry McCarthy.
The Galway native, who commuted home in 2017 to help the Tribesmen to All-Ireland hurling glory, accidentally struck McCarthy in a bizarre incident in a club hurling match in New York three years ago.
McCarthy was on duty as a linesman in Gaelic Park when he shipped a powerful blow to the chest from Glynn, who was coaching the Tipperary club.
“We were playing Ulster, and like a lot of GAA matches, it got very heated on the sidelines,” said Glynn, who has lived in New York since 2015.
“I'm awful when I’m on the sideline; I get into the game.
“I’d be on the pitch, I go cracked.
“Larry was constantly pulling me back, he was telling me to get off the pitch.
“There were a few mean belts in the game and I was trying to tell the boys in the half forward line to pull on the high ball coming down.
“Another high ball comes down again and Paul Garvan got the hand taken off himself.
“I was out on the pitch (showing the player how to pull in the air) but I didn’t realise Larry was standing behind me.
“I struck Larry in the chest, and down he went on the sideline.
“I panned him out. I just looked and he was down on the ground holding his chest.
“I said ‘Oh Jeez!’
“I thought I had him killed.
“I’d say if he got the chance to get up he’d have taken the head off me because he was cracked.
“I think he called me a f****** eejit.”
