A talented teenage hurler was last night battling for survival in the intensive care unit of Portlaoise General Hospital, after he collapsed during a training session on Sunday morning.

Jason Gilligan, who is due to celebrate his 20th birthday next week and has trained with Laois's senior hurlers, had just started a warm-up session with his fellow team-mates at Ballyfin GAA club when he collapsed at approximately 11.10am.

A spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed yesterday he remained in a critical condition in its intensive care unit.

Contrary to a report in several newspapers, including The Irish Times, yesterday, he remained on a life support machine in the hospital.

Damien Connolly - a spokesman for Ballyfin GAA - was one of those present when Gilligan - whom he described as a "lovely lovely fellow" - collapsed.

Connolly told how - as the group of about 20 players waited for training to commence - some of those present, including Gilligan, began to "puck around the ball".

"I just turned around and suddenly he was on the ground. We first of all assumed he must have got hit with a ball," Connolly said. "But he had no marks on him, no blood, no anything. . . there was no response at all."

Two members of the club, who are trained in first aid tried to resuscitate Gilligan, before Connolly's wife, a trained nurse, also attempted to do so.

Gilligan was taken to Portlaoise General Hospital and then to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, before later being returned to Portlaoise General Hospital.

Gilligan, an electrician by trade, has also recently bought a site near the family home on the outskirts of Ballyfin, according to Connolly.

Local parish priest Fr Patrick Hennessy described Gilligan as a "very fine fellow, with a wonderful family life.

"Obviously, there is a huge sense of shock in the parish."