An inquest was told yesterday that a Gaelic football star and his friend died from injuries received when their car apparently took a wrong turn on a new road interchange at Dunkettle, Co Cork.
Mr Michael McCarthy, a member of the all-Ireland senior football winning teams in 1989-90, and Mr Patrick Collins, both from Bridge Street, Skibbereen, died when their car tried to do a U-turn on the dual carriageway and was involved in a collision with a Range-Rover.
Mr Collins, the driver of the car, died at the scene of the accident and Mr McCarthy, a backseat passenger, died in hospital a few hours later. The cause of death in each case was shock and haemorrhage due to multiple injuries.
Garda James Hurley said the accident occurred at Incheera, Little Island, last February 4th at 10.15 p.m. He said that when he arrived, the fire brigade was present, Mr Collins was already dead and Mr McCarthy was in a serious condition. There was another passenger in the car, Mr Daniel O'Brien.
The inquest heard it was not proposed to call Mr O'Brien as he could not recall the accident and remembered last stopping in Fermoy.
The inquest was also told that a blood sample taken from Mr Collins showed an alcohol concentration of 96 milligrammes.
The garda said Mr Collins may have taken a wrong turning at the roundabout and, realising his mistake, tried to make a U-turn "anticipating that the road was two-way". The coroner, Mr Patrick Dorgan, said the death of two young men, good friends, from the same street of a small town, had obviously sent shock waves through the community. The coroner, Insp John O'Brien and the foreman of the jury extended their sympathy to the families of both men.
Mr Patrick McCarthy, solicitor, said the families wished to express their gratitude to the medical teams and gardai and hoped the driver of the other vehicle would make a full recovery.
The solicitor said Mr McCarthy was a famous footballer and a role model for young people, who had done much for Skibbereen.
"We hope that the memories of what he achieved will replace the trauma the families have suffered as a result of this accident," he added.