Irish sport unites in grief for lost star

Cormac McAnallen's untimely death has come as a great shock to all involved in Irish sport. Senior players and managers yesterday paid their respects to one of their most distinguished colleagues.

The stunned reaction was magnified by the fact that McAnallen had just replaced Peter Canavan as Tyrone captain and looked set for continued prosperity with the current All-Ireland champions.

McAnallen had become a household name in recent years due to his association with the International Rules team. An ever-present since 2001, he played in all six Tests.

Former Irish manager Brian McEniff brought him on tour to Australia in 2001, while he twice managed him with Ulster in the Railway Cup.

"It's very difficult to talk about Cormac," said McEniff "He was a special young lad. I would call him a modest young man, success never got to his head. I also had the pleasure of knowing both his parents when they were in Australia. My sympathies are with them.

"I saw Cormac lift the McKenna Cup last month. It was great to see a lad from the north with some words of Irish. It's a terrible tragedy. He was not just a very fine player he was also a fine person. Also, he was immaculately clean on the pitch."

Due to his three years in the International set-up, McAnallen came into contact with several of Gaelic football's leading players. Kerry's Seamus Moynihan was his captain on the 2002 team.

"I first met him in 2001 on the Aussie Rules tour when we shared a room for two weeks," said Moynihan "He was a lovely lad.

"A sign of his commitment to the game could be seen by the way he had just won an under-21 All-Ireland yet he just jumped on a plane to Australia immediately after. At the time, I remember myself and Darragh Ó Sé commenting that he wasn't going to stop progressing. That he had bigger and better things ahead of him.

"Even this year he showed his versatility by moving from midfield to full back. At 24 years of age he was only just coming into his prime. It's very unfortunate. He achieved so much in such a little time - it showed what a great footballer he was."

Armagh captain Kieran McGeeney also paid tribute to the Tyrone man's good nature, hard-working attitude and appetite for the game.

"I played with him on the International Rules side and with Ulster. Cormac was the ideal athlete. He was more dedicated than anyone before him. Also, he was a true gentlemen and very easy to get on with.

"It's very hard to comprehend how a 24-year-old man looked after himself so well yet died so young.

"It's a huge loss to the GAA, not just in Tyrone but everywhere. He was captain of minor, under-21 and senior county teams. What better example is there than that?"

Speaking from the Irish rugby training camp in Dublin yesterday international winger Tyrone Howe spoke of the virtues McAnallen brought to Ulster sport in general.

"I only met him once, about six weeks ago at the Belfast Telegraph Sports Awards and I had a chat with him. Above all, what struck everybody was how delighted he was to be the new captain of Tyrone and what it meant to him.

"Gaelic football in the last couple of years has captured peoples' imagination on both sides of the community with Armagh and Tyrone doing so well. Here we are talking about our rugby game . . . it pales in comparison and puts things into perspective.

"I think Ulster sport has been robbed of one of its finest young men."

The Gaelic Players Association also expressed its regret at the "tragic and sudden passing". Describing him as a true role model and "a cherished and respected member of the GAA and sporting community throughout Ireland, Cormac's exemplary achievements on the field of play were complemented by an incomparable level of sportsmanship, humanity and integrity.

"His commanding competitive presence and his friendship off the field will be sorely missed by all who had the good fortune to cross his path in life. On behalf of the intercounty footballers and hurlers throughout Ireland, we extend our deepest sympathy to Cormac's family, fiancée, friends and team-mates."

All GAA matches and functions will adhere to a minute's silence this week with flags flown at half-mast to mark the loss of a truly great ambassador of Irish sport.