Death of former Villa and Galway star Deacy

There was widespread shock in Galway yesterday after the sudden death of former Republic of Ireland international Eamon Deacy.

The Galway city native won an English league championship medal with Aston Villa after writing to them asking for a trial.

Deacy was given his breakthrough by Ron Saunders at Villa Park in 1979. And he repaid the Villa boss when he was one of just 14 players used as Villa captured the title in 1980-81.

Better was to follow when they lifted the European Cup the following season.

He picked up the first of four caps for the Republic of Ireland against Algeria in 1981 and gained further honours against Brazil, Chile and Trinidad and Tobago on a tour of South America in 1982.

Deacy returned to his native city and resumed playing for Galway United. He also played for Sligo Rovers and Limerick before Galway had a team in the League of Ireland.

He was a key member of the first Galway Rovers team, as it was then known, to enter the League of Ireland in 1977 and he had the honour of scoring the club’s first league goal when he netted against Thurles Town.

Deacy had initially made his mark with West United in the city centre and he returned to play for them after his Galway United career, and he continued to line out for them up to a couple of years ago.

Deacy , who was 53, is survived by his wife Mary O’Connor, a journalist with the Galway Advertiser, his daughter Dawn and his son Jake.