Boy’s death catalyst for goalpost safety rules

A LIMERICK couple whose only child was killed in a freak soccer accident when a moveable goalpost crashed down on him welcomed proposals to prevent a similar accident.

Andrew Fitzgerald, 10, died on August 5, 2004 when a goalpost fell on him during a summer camp run by Holy Cross soccer club in Bruff.

A gust of wind caught a sheet covering the goal front.

Pat Fitzgerald and his wife Miriam were awarded over €37,000 when they took a civil action against the soccer club and the FAI at Limerick Circuit Court.

The award was the maximum allowed under the 1961 Civil Liability Act arising out of the death of a loved one.

Earlier this week, the National Standards Authority of Ireland drew up a series of proposals on goalpost safety.

The public can make submissions on the proposals up to August 10.

Pat and Miriam Fitzgerald had a direct input into the work carried out by the special Goalpost Awareness Committee.

The Fitzgeralds welcomed the Department of Education decision to give grants to every primary and secondary school to address health and safety issues regarding goalposts.

Miriam Fitzgerald yesterday urged people to be vigilant about the condition of goalposts.

She said: “It is the biggest nightmare of any parent to lose a child. The whole reason that we went down the goalpost safety route was that we don’t want this to happen to anyone else. Andrew was the fourth child killed in this way and nothing was done. If I opened up a paper and saw that this happened to another child, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.”