GAA Gaelic-football News

Home

  • Football
  • Hurling
  • Features
  • Fixtures
  • Results
  • Video
  • Pundits
  • GAA on Sky
  • Twitter
  • Sky Bet

Brian Barry

GAA Editor @BrianGBarry

Kevin Cassidy opens up on tragic loss of Gaoth Dobhair team-mate

"When it happened you don't really care about football"

Last Updated: 08/02/19 2:10pm

Kevin Cassidy and Gaoth Dobhair are preparing for the AIB All-Ireland semi-final
Kevin Cassidy and Gaoth Dobhair are preparing for the AIB All-Ireland semi-final

Gaoth Dobhair footballer Kevin Cassidy discusses the tragic loss of a team-mate after a car crash claimed the lives of four young men in Donegal.

On the field of play, it's been quite the few months for Gaoth Dobhair. Picking up their first county title since 2006, they went on to create history by winning a historic Ulster title and in the process became the first Donegal club to triumph in the province since 1975.

As they emerged through the Christmas period looking ahead to the upcoming All-Ireland semi-final against Corofin, the small Gaeltacht community was rocked two weeks ago following the road accident in the area.

CLG Gaoth Dobhair club man Mícheál Roarty was among the victims. John Harley, Daniel Scott and Shaun Harkin were also killed in the crash.

"Mícheál Roarty was a team-mate of ours," explained Cassidy. "He trained with us that Saturday morning and then he was supposed to train on the Sunday but the accident happened.

"So he would have been around our squad. A very talented player, a serious character. Everybody knew him. If there was ever a night out, he was always there. You're still waiting to see him pop up or you're still waiting to see him come out of a changing room. It's tough for us but for the family it must be really, really tough. All we can do is try and do as much as we can to try and help with that.

Heartbreaking stuff. The parish of Gaoth Dobhair is numb today after loosing Roycee last night. Thoughts and prayers are with his family and the families of the other three lads at this tough time๐Ÿ™๐Ÿ’š pic.twitter.com/QQTRDPAGLM

— Kevin Cassidy (@KCASS7) January 28, 2019

"It was tough I suppose at the start, very tough," he added. "I think none of our players were thinking about Corofin this time last week, it was all about shock and trying to process it all. Since then we've kind of regrouped, we went back training the night after the funeral.

"It was good to be back with the boys and get back to something that feels normal to you. The last couple of days were something I've never ever experienced before in my life. The parish was just completely raw and numb. To get back to the sanctuary of the GAA pitch was good. Since then we've just rolled with it."

Such a tragedy puts perspective on things, and Cassidy says football became secondary.

"Obviously when it happened you don't really care about football to be honest," he said. "But then in the back of your mind, you're thinking you've the biggest game of your life to play in a week or so time, so you have to get ready. That's really what we've been doing.

"I think it's important to distance the two. Obviously Mícheál was a good friend but I don't think you can go and make a crusade out of something and try to say we're going to do this.

"All we can do is next Saturday in Carrick-on-Shannon, try and put our performance that our supporters would be proud of, hopefully Mícheál's family would be proud of. That's all we can really do."

Also See:

  • Sherlock leaves Dublin backroom team
  • Trio set for club vs college dilemma
  • Latest football news
  • Latest hurling news

Trending

  • 1
    Solskjaer: My Liverpool rivalry
  • 2
    Man Utd vs Liverpool predictions
  • 3
    Poch: Massive weekend in PL title race
  • 4
    'Final shows we are better than Arsenal'
  • 5
    Merson's predictions
  • 6
    Nev: Ole gets job with win
  • 7
    Pundits' Utd vs Liverpool combined XI
  • 8
    Meeting Ole: A calm character
  • 9
    WATCH: Hernandez's handball goal
  • 10
    Leclerc hopes to give Ferrari 'problem'
  • Video
  • Latest News
  • Home
  • Sports
    • Football
    • F1
    • Cricket
    • Rugby Union
    • Rugby League
    • Golf
    • Boxing
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Racing
    • Darts
    • NFL
    • NBA
    • Motorsport
    • Netball
    • GAA
    • WWE
    • eSports
    • More Sports
  • Score Centre
  • Video
  • TV
  • Sky Bet
  • Games
  • More
    • Transfer Centre
    • Live on Sky
    • Get Sky Sports
    • TV Shows
    • TV Guide
    • Competitions
    • Sky Go
    • Now TV
    • Pub Finder
    • Sportswomen
    • Sports Scholarships
    • Podcasts
    • Mobile
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Contact Us
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Sky.com
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Sky Sports
    • Get Sky Sports
    • Sky Sports Apps
    • Sportinglife.com
    • TEAMtalk.com
    • Football365.com
    • Team Sky
  • Partners
    • Sky Bet
    • Fantasy Football
    • Super 6
    • Sky Sports Pub Finder
    • Living for Sport
    • Planet Rugby
    • Golf365
    • Planet F1
    • Cricket365
  • Sky Sports Channels
    • Sky Sports Main Event
    • Sky Sports Premier League
    • Sky Sports Football
    • Sky Sports Cricket
    • Sky Sports Golf
    • Sky Sports Racing
    • Sky Sports F1
    • Sky Sports Action
    • Sky Sports Arena
    • Sky Sports News
    • Sky Sports Mix
  • More Sky Sites
    • Sky.com
    • Sky News
    • Sky Corporate
    • Sky For Businesses
    • Now TV
    • Sky Communal TV
    • Sky Academy
    • Bigger Picture
    • Store Locator
    • Work for Sky
    • Advertise With Us
    • Sky TV Accessories
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy & Cookies Notice
  • Accessibility Information
  • Contact Us

©2019 Sky UK