A LEITRIM inter-county GAA footballer has been seriously injured following a freak mishap on a football pitch.
Wing-forward Phillip McGuinness (26) was on a life-support machine in Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, yesterday after banging his head against a rival player’s knee.
He was rushed to Beaumont from Sligo General Hospital where he was taken after the incident during a Saturday evening game between two club teams in the Leitrim league.
Mr McGuinness, known as Philly, was playing alongside his brothers Michael and John on the Mohill side in a game against Melvin Gaels. The game was at Annaduff, near Carrick-on-Shannon, because of work at the Mohill ground.
Spectators said Mr McGuinness had the ball five minutes before half-time and was preparing to go by another player when they touched. Mr McGuinness fell towards the other player and collided with his knee.
One spectator said: “It was an absolutely freak accident. Nobody is attaching any blame to the other player.”
When it became obvious Mr McGuinness would not recover consciousness the game was abandoned and an ambulance called. It arrived 50 minutes after the incident.
Leitrim County GAA board said yesterday: “Due to an injury sustained in a match Phillip McGuinness remains critically ill. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this difficult time.”