Champions honour player’s father

NEWLY crowned All-Ireland intermediate club champions Carbery Rangers laid aside celebrations last night as Rosscarbery honoured the late Paddy Santry.

Players and supporters formed a guard of honour for the removal of remains of Mr Santry, whose son Kevin was one of the heroes during the club’s finest hour on Sunday.

At the request of other family members, the club had been asked not to tell goalkeeper Kevin that his father had passed away shortly after the team coach had departed Rosscarbery for the All-Ireland decider in Portlaoise.

A close friend said that father of two Kevin had called to the family home to see his father before joining his club mates.

Before the team departed the town around 9am, Margaret Santry conveyed, on behalf of her husband, best wishes to the team in the final. Mr Santry, a leading light in Carbery Ranger teams of past generations, died an hour later.

Club chairman John Murphy broke the news to Kevin after the final whistle as players and supporters celebrated the All-Ireland win over Tyrone opponents Pomeroy Plunketts.

“We got a phone call from Kevin’s brother, Finbarr, telling us that Paddy had passed away but that it was the family’s wish that Kevin not be told and for him to play in the All-Ireland final,” Mr Murphy explained.

“His father would have wanted that.

“When the game was over, I just pulled him aside. I told him: ‘You have an All-Ireland medal and your dad is in Heaven’.”

Mr Murphy added: “Amid all the celebrations, it was something that I was not looking forward to doing.”

A noted dairy and pig farmer, Mr Santry, 80, had led an active life until almost a year ago.

A stalwart of the Carbery Rangers and Carbery divisional teams during the 1950s, he will be laid to rest this afternoon after Requiem Mass in Rosscarbery.

On an emotional day for the club, Carbery Rangers captain Johnny Murphy dedicated the win to the memory of their former selector and ex-county footballer Tony Murphy, who died in late 2004 during the current championship campaign.

In a powerful victory speech, the captain told Carbery’s army of supporters that the late Mr Murphy, the club’s best-known players, was smiling down on the team.

“Tony was always with this team and still is. And whenever they talk about Carbery Rangers, they will talk about Tony Murphy,” he added.