Alfie Devine says brother Donal would have wanted him to ref game two days after funeral

Westmeath referee Alfie Devine says taking charge of last Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 2B clash between Meath and Derry is what his late brother Donal would have wanted. Devine officiated the game in Navan, just two days after Donal was laid to rest.

Westmeath GAA was plunged into mourning when Donal, a former county hurler and four-time county SHC winner with Castlepollard, passed away suddenly after training last Tuesday evening.

Yet, Alfie managed to referee the Meath-Derry game, with his brothers Frank and Seamus assisting him as umpires.

Alfie said: “We decided on the day of the funeral that Donal wouldn’t want us pulling out of it because of him. We talked about it during the week and decided on Friday night that we were going to do it. Donal wouldn’t want us missing out. It’s an awful tragedy and it’s his wife and kids left behind who are feeling it most. He was the youngest of the whole lot of us, which was the biggest shock of the whole lot.

“He had no problems with anything before this, no aches, pains, or complaints. It’s just very hard to come to terms with.”

For 70 minutes, refereeing a game of hurling was, “in a way”, a distraction for Alfie and his brothers.

“He wouldn’t have wanted us holding back and we just decided to go and do it. I was happy enough that we did it in the finish. The people in Meath were very sympathetic and helpful, and there was a nice tribute before the game and a minute’s silence. It was emotional, but nice the way they did it for us.”

It isn’t the first time tragedy has struck the family, as another of the Devine brothers, Martin, was killed 25 years ago in a car accident.