Premier SHC: Date set for Midleton v Kanturk re-fixture as Castletownroche praised for dealing with emergency

The Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier SHC clash between Midleton and Kanturk has been re-fixed for next Saturday evening at 6.45pm in Castletownroche.

On Sunday, the Group 3 meeting between the sides was suspended after eight minutes due to a medical emergency in the stand, where a man suffered a heart attack. Referee Niall Fahy later took the decision to abandon the match.

The coming weekend had been set aside as a break for clubs, with only the finals of the divisions/colleges sections of the premier senior championships scheduled. As a result, Cork County Board have been able to re-fix the match in straightforward fashion, ahead of the last set of hurling fixtures on September 6/7/8.

Midleton had beaten Charleville in their opening game while Kanturk overcame Erin’s Own. On Sunday, Erin’s Own beat Charleville, leaving the group finely poised.

Host club Castletownroche have been praised for the role they played in providing treatment for the man, with a defibrillator at the venue used by Midleton’s Dr Michael Thompson and Kanturk’s Dr Brian O’Connell.

It had been donated by the family of Denis Relihan following his death in 2008 and Castletownroche secretary Barry Hazelwood outlined the importance of having something to hand.

“It was a defibrillator that was donated to us by the Relihan family,” he said.

“Denis died suddenly at work and the family decided to donate it to the club.

“We actually have two more defibrillators in the community as well, there’s one at the hall and another at the surgery.

When something like this happens, it reminds you of the need for having them and the importance of having them in working order and keeping them maintained.”

Having been treated at the scene, the man was later taken to hospital by air ambulance.

“The two club doctors, Dr Thompson from Midleton and Dr O’Connell from Kanturk, were inside in the pitch and they were both out straightaway,” Hazelwood said.

“He was in the stand and the defibrillator was only a couple of yards away, the two dugouts are just inside the wire so they were straight out the gate.

“It was almost instant in terms of providing treatment."