Down Player dies during minor GAA match

By Advanced Medical Services AMS25 Aug 2010

GAA: A teenage GAA player collapsed and died during a minor football match in Co Down last night.

A doctor and a nurse who had been at the game in Rostrevor battled for 35 minutes in a bid to save Patrick Dinsmore’s life, at one stage using a defibrillator to try to resuscitate him.

With Down due to play Kildare in this Sunday’s All-Ireland senior football semi-final at Croke Park, SDLP councillor Michael Carr said: “This death has cast a shadow over everything. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare.”

Patrick, who was a pupil at St Colman’s in Newry was due to celebrate his 17th birthday tomorrow.

He had been playing for St Peter’s, Warrenpoint, against neighbours St Bronagh’s when he fell ill. He was standing on the pitch on his own when he collapsed.

Carr said: “This really is a devastating, utterly devastating, death of a fine young man.

“The local area is finding it hard to come to terms with it as the young lad was so well thought of and was taking part in something he loved, representing his local community.”