Player collapses in Westmeath club game

Cathal Joyce had a close call yesterday evening when he collapsed before his club Athlone’s Westmeath IFC semi-final clash with Rosemount in Cusack Park in Mullingar.

Joyce, a sub on the Athlone team, was partaking in the pre-match warm-up when he collapsed. Though his heart stopped for several seconds, he was resuscitated with the aid of a defibrillator which was on-site and then taken to hospital, where he was said to be recovering.

“Cathal collapsed in the warm-up after suffering a cardiac arrest,” Athlone PRO Brian Melinn told www.hoganstand.com.