Gardai have interviewed a number of witnesses in connection with the serious assault in Thurles on the Kilkenny hurler P.J. Delaney, a Garda spokesman said yesterday as Mr Delaney remained in a critical but stable condition in a Cork hospital.
Detectives investigating the assault on Mr Delaney (26) in Liberty Square just before 2.45 a.m. on Sunday were "keeping the focus as broad as possible at this stage", according to Insp Bernard O'Neill of Thurles i.Garda station.
Yesterday Mr Delaney's father, Pat, who has been maintaining a vigil with his wife, Eileen, at their son's bedside, told how he believed his son was picked upon and assaulted because he was an inter-county hurler.
"There was no brawl, no trouble. He was in no row, just some scrape. He was picked out because he was a hurler, as far as I can gather," said Mr Delaney.
Doctors carried out a scan on his son upon arrival at Cork University Hospital, Mr Delaney said.
"He had a fractured skull and internal bleeding and had to have a major operation. He was stable all day yesterday [Sunday]. He is up and down, the doctor told me last night. That's the position we're in at the moment," he told RTE.
Mr Delaney snr, who won All-Ireland medals with Kilkenny in the 1970s, said doctors had confirmed that his son had been hit by an implement but were unable to say what was used. "We've heard that a baseball bat may have been used, but we're not sure.
"The family are very broken up . . . We're living on hope, we're living on 50/50 at the moment. If we go down, we could be in trouble, but hopefully we'll come up," he said.
Mr Delaney's girlfriend, Ms Sarah King, who travelled from Dublin to join Mr Delaney's family at his bedside, said Mr Delaney had gone to Thurles with friends after a match involving his club, Fenians of Johnstown. "I'm holding up well at the moment. It's been a terrible shock for all of us, and all we can do now is wait and hope that he'll pull through and that he will come out well when they take him off the sedation," she said.
Ms King said that from what she could gather, Mr Delaney was picked on and received a blow to the side of the head while another friend, Mr Paul Ryan, was also attacked and suffered a perforated ear drum.
"They didn't see it coming and they couldn't defend themselves. The guy or guys who did it ran off and just left them there . . . It seems to be very vindictive. It's terrible really . . . It's a shock, and hopefully he will come through.
"The gardai have been brilliant. The people who did this, I feel sorry for them, but hopefully they will get their just reward and will be dealt with in the proper manner," said Ms King.
She also praised hospital staff at Cork University Hospital for helping to keep their spirits up and remain positive.
The Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley, visited Mr Delaney in hospital yesterday and assured the family that the prayers of all Cork people were with them. "It's very sad, very regrettable," said Bishop Buckley.
Mr Delaney had come came into the match as a sub against Cork in last Sunday week's All-Ireland hurling final.