Almost a year to the day after fracturing his skull in a shinty match – and requiring an emergency brain operation – Newtonmore player Darrin Fowler has made a surprise goalscoring comeback.
However, the 26-year-old window cleaner stressed: “I was just helping out and have no plans to play regularly.”
Blow to head with shinty stick led to brain surgery
Darrin was accidentally struck on the back of the head by a swinging stick in the final minute of his team’s Mowi Premiership match against Kinlochshiel at Balmacara on March 5 last year.
He took unwell on the journey home and was taken by ambulance to Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, before being transferred to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s special head injuries unit.
There, surgeons drilled and removed the part of Darrin’s skull pressing on his brain.
Darrin later indicated his shinty career was over – but on Saturday he came on as substitute for Newtonmore’s second team in their North First Division fixture at Glengarry, celebrating his comeback with a 64th-minute goal.
‘More or less a one-off’ appearance for Fowler due to sight loss from brain op
“I feel fine, with no repercussions”, Darrin said. “I answered an SOS from the team and enjoyed playing again.
“The team was very short and had two 14-year-olds playing, so I helped out and getting a goal when I came on was a real boost.
“But it’s more or less a one-off.
“I have a bit of sight loss as a result of the emergency craniotomy and certainly won’t be playing Premiership shinty again.
“If the second team found itself super, super stuck for players, I might consider helping them out again, but not on a regular basis.”
Darrin added: “I was wearing a helmet with a face mask when I came on – I didn’t wear one when I received the injury.”
Newtonmore boss: ‘Once he was on the pitch, he was fine’
Peter Ross, manager of Newtonmore second team, said: “We had six players out through injury, so I phoned Darren on Saturday morning to see if he was able to help us out. He was happy to do so.
“Getting ready to come on as sub, he seemed a bit apprehensive, but once he was on the pitch, he was fine.
“We came from 3-0 down to 3-2 when he was playing.”
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