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Footballer of the Year Michael Darragh Macauley on a recent visit with Dublin footballers to Temple Street Hospital ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy
MDMA

Footballer of the Year has 'a beautiful heart'

Michael Darragh Macauley passes cardiac screening with flying colours.

DUBLIN STAR MICHAEL Darragh Macauley underwent cardiac screening on live television earlier today — and it couldn’t have gone better.

Dr Deirdre Ward, consultant cardiologist and Director of The Centre for Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) was delighted with his results.

“He has a perfectly healthy heart; healthier than most,” said Ward. “He has a nice, slow resting heart rate. “It’s beautiful. It’s a really, really nice heart; perfectly healthy.” Ward also added that Macauley’s fitness levels were ‘way above’ the average.

The 26-year-old underwent the screening live on TV3′s Ireland AM to help raise awareness for the Ciaran Carr Foundation.

Carr was an apparently healthy young man playing senior football for the Round Towers club in Clondalkin, West Dublin, when he collapsed and died during a training session in January of last year.

It was found that he died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS), which kills between 60 and 80 under-35s in this country every year.

Just last week former Meath captain Shane McAnarney revealed that he had a double bypass surgery after a routine scan provided by the Gaelic Players’ Association showed up a number of blocked arteries.

Macauley says he was delighted to take part in yesterday’s three-part scan yesterday, which involved a consultation with a doctor, an ECG and an exercise test.

“I was happy to be the guinea pig because it gives you peace of mind,” said the Ballyboden St Enda’s man.

“In fairness, the GPA have set up a cardiac screening programme which is going well and I think they’ve screened more than 1,700 players to date.”

Dr Ward admits that screening the entire population for potential cardiac risks is a controversial subject. However, she said that it is a good idea for anyone who is involved in a high level of exercise.

To watch Michael Darragh Macauley’s heart screening (which comes in two parts) click here and here.

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