Antrim hurler Neil McManus had quite the whirlwind day on Friday.
McManus played in Cushendall Ruairi Óg's Antrim SHC match against Naomh Eanna on Friday, racking up 1-15 in a massive win for Cushendall.
The real drama for the Ruairi Óg man, however, came earlier in the day. On his morning commute, McManus assisted in resuscitating a man who had suffered a heart attack while driving to Belfast.
Antrim GAA: Neil McManus helped save man's life
Neil McManus spoke to Antrim GAA after the game against Naomh Eanna, and told the extraordinary story of how he had helped to save a man's life before Friday's Antrim SHC game.
From saving a life to scoring 1-15.. what a day Neil McManus has had!
The Cushendall star explained to @JeromeQuinn after our @Bathshack Antrim SHC Live Stream coverage how he helped save a man's life while on the way to work early this morning.@JOEdotie @ballsdotie @RTEsport pic.twitter.com/30GfbEFVTu— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) August 5, 2022
Somebody was on their way back to Belfast - or Glengormley, I think they were from. They unfortunately had a heart attack in the car on their way home and were very lucky that there was a defibrillator in the shop nearby. A lady arrived by the name of Emma Dillon who's well equipped with CPR knowledge.
We spent a few minutes with him getting the man round and, thankfully, the ambulance crew were there very quickly on hand. That was a different morning than the normal commute!
I've been very lucky...my father had a heart attack on the golf club at home, in time for us to ring for the emergency services. A local man called Joe Burns was one of the first responders and was at the house very quickly, and thankfully he brought him round that evening. Lucky to be on hand today myself, along with Emma.
Thankfully the man who had fallen ill was ultimately okay, thanks in no small part to the decisive actions of McManus and Emma Dillon.
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What made the heroism of McManus even more amazing was that he would go on to star in Cushendall's massive victory on Friday night. Cushendall recorded a 2-30 to 0-7 win over Naomh Eanna, with McManus contributing one of the goals to the win.
He would ultimately score half of Cushendall's scores, contributing 1-15 in scores to the massive scoreline.
GoPro Goal for the Dall!
See two angles of a brilliant @RuairiOgCLG goal by Neil McManus in tonight's Bathshack Antrim SHC win at @NaomhEannaCLG
Video from Live Stream coverage by @JeromeQuinn & @MQ_Video #GoPro @irishnewssport @DonalOgC @DaloAnto @buff_egan @TheSaffronGael pic.twitter.com/GIvhZv70x0— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) August 5, 2022
Closing his interview with Antrim GAA, McManus made an important comment urging the GAA to increase the amount of defibrillators at GAA grounds, and urging the government to add CPR training to the curriculum.
For rural communities, it's very important that we're equipped to be self sufficient. I think that that lady Emma Dillon saved somebody else's life on the very same road a fortnight ago through CPR again.
Especially for rural communities and a lot of our GAA communities have really bought into it - you'll see defibrillators on the walls of a lot of GAA premises. The more widespread they are...hopefully someday soon our government will see a little bit of sense and CPR training will go onto the national curriculum.
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