UCC skipper Sam O’Sullivan 'comfortable and stable' after cardiac incident

The UCC Rugby stalwart collapsed during his team’s Energia All-Ireland League play-off match against Shannon at the Mardyke on Saturday.

UCC and Shannon were facing off in an All-Ireland League play-off match at the Mardyke. Pic: Eóin Noonan/Sportsfile

UCC Rugby president John Fitzgerald praised the amazing job done by both emergency medical services and the staff at Cork University Hospital after club captain Sam O’Sullivan suffered a cardiac incident during his team’s Energia All-Ireland League play-off match against Shannon at the Mardyke on Saturday.

O’Sullivan is recovering in Cork University Hospital and was said by Fitzgerald to be “comfortable and stable” having collapsed in the second half of the Division 1B promotion/relegation play-off. The game was abandoned as a result after 66 minutes with UCC leading 31-12.

“We were very fortunate and we had we had brilliant medical people on site and they stabilised Sam,” Fitzgerald said, “and then emergency medical services came in and they did an amazing job and got him off to CUH.” 

Second row O’Sullivan is the son of Tadhg O’Sullivan, a Munster team doctor and former UCC captain, and brother of former Munster back-rower Jack, currently playing in Japan for Red Hurricanes Osaka.

“I spoke with his father this morning and Sam's awake, he’s well, he's eating and talking and just better, so we're very thankful,” the UCC club president added.

“Our guys are, actually both teams, I just spoke with Frank Sargent who's the president of Shannon and their guys are very traumatised as well, so both teams. You know, a fit young man of like 22, 23 having a cardiac incident in the middle of a game is not something that you see every day.

“But he's in CUH and look it's one of the really good things we have here. We're a world-class hospital here in Cork and we were very fortunate yesterday that we’re a club full of doctors and one of the best cardiologists in the world is at the game, so truthfully I am very relieved.

“You feel for Sam and his family because Mum and Dad at the game, you know and Sam is our leading player in terms of AIL caps. He holds a record for UCC, 85 caps in the AIL which is unheard of. He's been almost ever present for five years.

“Our whole thing is it's our young players and Sam and his family and that's the key thing for us.” 

With the play-off match abandoned, the IRFU said the outcome will be decided by the All-Ireland League Competitions Committee in due course.