Carrigaline murder trial hears previous attack may have made Matt O’Neill 'more vulnerable'

The trial also heard that a neurological examination of the deceased 'cannot say which part of the head was struck'

Dr Bolster was told that the late Matt O'Neill (pictured) was taken to Cork University Hospital where he was in a deep coma and a devastating brain injury was diagnosed with no possibility of recovery. Picture courtesy of rip.ie.

The 29-year-old Carrigaline man who was allegedly punched and kicked on the ground near his home at Christmas 2022 died as a result of blunt force trauma to the head, but the possible contribution of an assault four days earlier was teased out in evidence at the murder trial on Thursday.

21-year-old Ricardo Hoey of 7 Ardcarrig, Carrigaline, County Cork, and 19-year-old Jordan Deasy of 41 Ravensdale, Heron's Wood, both pleaded not guilty to the single charge against them, namely that on December 28, 2022, at Glenwood estate, Carrigaline, County Cork, they did murder 29-year-old Matt O’Neill, contrary to common law.