Young hurler fighting for life after collapsing on pitch

A 20-year-old hurler is reportedly fighting for his life after he collapsed during a training session with his club at the weekend.

A 20-year-old hurler is reportedly fighting for his life after collapsing during a training session with his club at the weekend.

Reports this morning say Jason Gilligan lost consciousness while training at Ballyfin GAA club in Co Laois yesterday morning.

He was rushed to hospital in Dublin and later transferred to Portlaoise, where he is reportedly on a life-support machine with his family at his bedside.

The cause of his collapse is unknown, with some people suggesting he may have suffered a brain haemorrhage after being struck by a sliotar.

However, this morning’s newspapers quote witnesses as saying that he was not struck and simply collapsed mysteriously for no apparent reason.

Last week, families of young men who have suffered sudden cardiac arrests met an Oireachtas committee to press for the implementation of measures to reduce the level of fatalities from the condition.

They want the Government to implement recommendations made last year by a task force set up to examine the issue, including the provision of defibrillators in various locations around the country.

The Irish Red Cross is also holding a fundraiser today to help purchase defibrillators for communities nationwide.