Slain player’s mascot leads out Black Cats

RUGBY captain Shane Geoghegan’s Garryowen mascot last night led out Niall Quinn’s Sunderland in soccer friendly against a Munster X1 for the murdered player at Thomond Park.

Killian Joyce, 6, was the Garryowen mascot when Shane led out the Garryowen thirds for his last game, days before his murder in November 2008.

Last night’s game was the culmination of a Day for Shane, which launched a new initiative in Limerick by the Shane Geoghegan Trust, whose aim it is to keep children out of trouble through sport.

Sunderland FC chairman, Niall Quinn, one of the first major figures to come forward to offer support for the trust, brought his Premier League team to Thomond Park last night to help raise funds.

Little Killian’s return as a team mascot was a poignant reminder of the gentle rugby giant, Shane Geoghegan. His father, Martin Joyce, from Sixmilebridge, Co Clare, said Killian was heartbroken when his hero was shot.

As the teams prepared to stride out onto Thomond Park for last night’s game, Mr Joyce said: “Killian loved to hold Shane’s hand walking out on to the pitch. It’s hard to understand, but he says that Shane is a star up in the sky now. At night he says ‘Shane must be changing into his star outfit’.”

Martin who works with the Connaught rugby squad said he and his wife Rachel were devastated at having to break the news of Shane’s death to Killian, who was a regular Garryowen mascot.

Martin said: “It was all over the papers and television and we had to tell him it was some bold people who did it. Killian took a real shine to Shane, but that wasn’t surprising. Shane was easy to like.” A huge number of sporting and entertainment figures have now rowed in with support for the Shane Geoghegan Trust.