Stranorlar student wins award for new sports injury app

Inspired by his own experience from a broken nose last year, young Gaelic footballer Cathal Cannon has developed an app to help coaches to deal with injuries before medical assistance arrives.

Last week, Sports Injury Response was the senior category winner at the Donegal Student Enterprise Programme final, organised by the Local Enterprise Office.

A student at St Columba’s College, Stranorlar, Cathal, a football with Sean MacCumhaills, spent four months developing the app.

Sports Injury Response is described as a’ pitch-side medical assistance app for immediate guidance on first aid procedures for a large range of injuries and medical emergencies.’

Cathal was playing for MacCumhaills when he sustained a broken nose.

The Sports Injury Response logo

“There was no-one there who was trained in first aid,” he says. “Some people were there saying to push it back into place. Eventually, it was decided to go to the hospital a week later.

“I realised that there was nothing out there to bridge the gap between an injury happening and medical assistance being provided.”

The Sports Injury Response app currently provides guidance for dealing with 35 injuries across seven categories.

“Everyone should stand a chance of making a speedy recovery,” Cathal says. I’ve had a few other injuries down the years and you feel there isn’t much guidance. They tend to stick to the basics.

“Most juvenile coaches don’t have medical training so I wanted to build something to make it simple.

“There is always a sense of panic when an injury happens so it had to be simple and straightforward.”

Cathal sought the assistance of doctors Ciaran Roarty and Mark Boyce, who went through his material. He consulted with three-time Olympic badminton player Chloe Magee along the way too.

Enterprise teacher Ms Catherine Cook-Harkin and his mentors Carl Murphy, who helped develop his speech and recorded the presentation, and Aisling Arnold from the Donegal Local Enterprise, were invaluable to the process.

“I had no coding experience so there was a lot of learning,” Cathal says.

“Winning the award was a huge boost. I’m really pleased to have won and I’ll go now to the national finals. It’s brilliant.”

Sports Injury Response is available on the Android platform and the sign-up fee for clubs is €75. He hopes to develop an iOS version

Several clubs have signed up and Cathal has been encouraged by their support and that of his family and friends.

“I feel like the app could make a change in the sporting world.”