Anthony Daly: Jimmy Cooney reffed as he played - tough, uncompromising, but fierce honest

I had nothing but respect for Jimmy. When he finished his playing career with Sarsfields, he went straight into refereeing, which is a great sign of a man, especially someone who was a decorated player.

1998: Referee Jimmy Cooney, having blown the full-time whistle early, is escorted from the pitch by linesman Aodan Mac Suibhne, left, and Croke Park security staff after the Guinness All-Ireland Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final Replay match between Clare and Offaly at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: David Maher/Sportsfile

LATE July/early August in Galway always only means one thing — the races. I found myself in Ballybrit on Tuesday, backing a few horses and drinking a few pints, but I was also up there for a Galway GAA event organised for Tuesday afternoon.

There is always a brilliant atmosphere around the city this week but there was a deep tinge of sadness amongst the Galway hurling community at the news of the sad passing of Jimmy Cooney. We often say the GAA is like a family but I think we feel that even more so as hurling people because our community is so small that nearly everybody had a connection somewhere.