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"Big-hearted" Gaelic footballer was one of three young men killed in A1 crash

Former headboy Peter Hughes (19) was killed alongside two friends on the A1 yesterday
Former headboy Peter Hughes (19) was killed alongside two friends on the A1 yesterday Former headboy Peter Hughes (19) was killed alongside two friends on the A1 yesterday

A "big-hearted" Gaelic footballer was one of three men killed on one of the north’s busiest roads., Queen's University GAA said.

Peter Hughes (19) from Dromintee, Co Armagh, died after two vehicles collided on Sunday night on the dual carriageway between Dromore and Banbridge.

Conall Haverin (20) from Newry and 20-year-old Gavin Sloan also died in the crash.

The three were travelling in a red-coloured Vauxhall Corsa and died at the scene of the collision with a black Volkswagen Tiguan on the northbound carriage of the A1 in Co Down.

Queen's University Belfast GAA posted a tribute on Facebook to Mr Hughes.

"It is with great sadness that we learned of sudden death along with two friends of our fresher footballer and friend Peter Hughes yesterday evening.

"A great character and a footballer with a big heart, the club and his team mates will miss him badly."Our thoughts and prayers are with Peter's mother, father, brothers and sister."

The female driver of the Volkswagen was taken to hospital for treatment for injuries which are not believed to be life threatening.

Queen's GAA tweeted:

The crash happened at about 5:40pm yesterday on the dual carriageway close to the Halfway Road junction between Dromore and Banbridge. Experts noted that the crash occurred near a ‘gap junction’.

It is not clear if horrendous weather conditions at the time contributed. There was heavy rain and reports of some flooding.

Police said the stretch of the A1 between Banbridge and Dromore has been fully reopened to traffic in both directions.

The road, which carries around 50,000 vehicles a day, was closed for several hours in both directions after the accident, causing extensive delays.

The fatal collision is understood to have happened close to the Mount Ida Road junction, off the main A1, and just metres from where a 55-year-old man was killed in March.

That crash involved two cars close to the Halfway Road junction.

Since September last year, there have been several deaths on the A1, including those of two Sisters of Mercy, Sr Frances Forde and Sr Marie Duddy, and cyclist John Flynn.

Wesley Johnston, a researcher and commentator on Northern Ireland roads, expressed his shock last night.

“Photos suggest the triple-fatality on the A1 occurred at one of the infamous gap junctions – a gap junction being where vehicles are allowed to turn right across the central reservation,” he said.

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said his thoughts and prayers were with the families of the young men. He said while there was a programme to upgrade and make the A1 safer, the three deaths highlighted the need for this work to be escalated.