GAA to consider McGuinness commemoration

ASSOCIATION President Christy Cooney says the GAA will talk to Leitrim officials about a way of commemorating the memory of the late Philip McGuinness.

The talented dual player passed away on Monday as a result of a head injury sustained from an accidental collision while playing for his club Mohill against Melvin Gaels last Saturday.

The forward was a key member of the Leitrim football team and also played hurling for his county.

Asked about commemorating his memory, Cooney said: “Yes, we’ll talk to the Leitrim county board about that. We were planning to have an opening of our refurbished museum on Thursday and we cancelled it as a mark of respect to his death.”

A minute’s silence was taken yesterday, at Cooney’s behest, before the ESB All-Ireland minor championships were launched at Croke Park.

Both Cooney and Director General Páraic Duffy will be present in Leitrim for the player’s wake and funeral.

“I have never heard of an incident like this in the past, on a field of play, of someone suffering a freak accident,” said Cooney.

“It’s massively unfortunate. How else could you describe it?”