A man may have sustained a fatal neck injury in a semi-contact American football game, Dublin City Coroner's Court heard yesterday. But medical evidence given to the inquest into the death of Mr Stephen Mooney (26) of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, showed he had four underlying medical conditions which could have led to his sudden death. Mr Charles Sheridan told the inquest Mr Mooney played full contact and flag American football for years. He said that after Mr Mooney's death the team analysed the game but could not recall a heavy tackle on Mr Mooney. Mr Mooney, a stonemason and stone carver with the Office of Public Works, died at St James's Hospital on December 12th, 1997 having slipped into a coma. A postmortem examination by Dr Sean O Broin showed death was due to the death of brain tissue following from a clot. The report also indicated he suffered from high blood pressure; an enlarged heart; polyschemia, also known as "thick blood" and an enlarged liver. Dr Francesca Brett, a neuropathologist, said 50 per cent of such deaths could be attributed to trauma such as a neck injury and the remainder were of unknown cause. The dead man's mother told the inquest that after playing the game on December 7th, 1997, her son complained of being tired. He collapsed twice at work the next day and was sent home where he was visited by his doctor. The following day he collapsed in the house. Mrs Mooney and her husband took him to hospital immediately. Returning an open verdict the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, said he would seek further expert opinion and supply the information to the family.