GARDAÍ WERE last night continuing to question a man and a woman about a serious assault, which has left a 40-year-old man in a critical condition in a Cork hospital.
The victim was found with serious head injuries by a relative when she called at 8.30pm on Saturday to check on him at a bungalow in the Rathcarrig area of Fermoy.
The relative rang the emergency services and the man was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where it is understood he remains in a critical but stable condition.
Ambulance staff notified gardaí who arrested a 26-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman at the scene and brought them to Fermoy Garda station for questioning about the assault.
The two, who are from Bandon and Coppeen in west Cork, were detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows gardaí hold suspects for up to 24 hours.
The scene of the assault was preserved overnight and yesterday morning Garda technical experts began a forensic examination of the area for clues as to what exactly happened.
The man had suffered serious head injuries and gardaí believe he may have been hit with a variety of implements including frying pans during the attack.
Gardaí believe the two suspects were visiting the house and that all three people had been drinking in the house when a row broke out and the two suspects attacked the 40 year old.
They believe that the assault victim – who lives alone at the house – may have been lying injured for up to an hour at the house before he was discovered by his relative.
Gardaí last night extended the initial detention period of 12 hours for the two suspects and they are expected to resume questioning them today about the assault.