THE GAA suffered devastating losses this year, notably Tyrone hurling star Damian Casey, Derry dual code legend Collie McGurk, and former GAA President Sean McCague. Shaun Casey remembers some of those who passed away in 2022.
Damian Casey
Damian Casey died tragically in Spain back in June. The Dungannon hurler had just helped Tyrone win the Nickey Rackard Cup, to go along with their Division 3A league title, at the end of May. Casey was widely regarded as one of the best hurlers this province has produced and recorded a huge total of 2-64 in the Nickey Rackard Cup competition, including 0-14 in the final. Casey was named as the Nickey Rackard Cup Player of the Year and named by the Irish News as Ulster Hurler of the Year for 2022 at their annual awards night.
Collie McGurk
Collie McGurk was a legend in Derry GAA circles and sadly lost his life in early July. McGurk had been part of the Derry squad that lifted the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time in 1993 and won Ulster hurling medals at county level as well. He also won an All-Ireland club title with Lavey in 1991 along with numerous county titles at both codes with his club. McGurk managed the Oak Leaf County to a Nickey Rackard Cup title in 2017, and a u-21 Ulster title in the same year. He was Lavey's minor hurling manager when he sadly passed away.
Sean McCague
Former GAA President Sean McCague passed away in late November at the age of 77. The Monaghan native served in office from 2000 to 2003 and enjoyed a lifetime involvement in Gaelic Games. During his tenure, the Association scrapped the controversial Rule 21, which had banned members of the British and Northern Ireland security forces from participating in Gaelic Games. McCague also had great experience on the field of play, managing his native Scotstown to a county title in 1974 and bridging a 41-year wait for an Ulster title with the Farney County in 1979.
Mickey McDonald
Former Armagh footballer Mickey McDonald passed away in November at the age of 63. McDonald, uncle of golfing superstar Rory McDonald, was a talented, all-round sportsman. The Lurgan native won a Sigerson Cup medal with St Coleman's Newry in 1975, kicking the winning point in the final and helped St Paul's win the Armagh IFC title in 1984 for the very first time. At county level, McDonald was part of the Armagh team that claimed provincial glory in 1982 and was noted as a fine soccer player as well and enjoyed stints with Glenavon and Cliftonville.
Frankie Wilson
Frank Wilson was a star on both the Gaelic Football and soccer fields and died in October aged 52 following a long-term battle with cancer. Wilson starred on the Lamh Dhearg side that won the Antrim SFC in 1992, just the second in their history, and enjoyed a long career with the Saffrons. In soccer, Wilson usually operated at midfield and had spells with Crewe United, Cliftonville, Carrick Rangers, Ballyclare Comrades, Larne, Omagh Town and Bangor. He later returned to Bangor as manager and helped the club win the Steel & Sons Cup in 2011 and was the long-serving manager of Northern Irelands u-18 team.
Brian Mullins
Dublin legend Brian Mullins passed away this year just days after his 68th birthday after a short illness. Mullins captured four All-Ireland medals during his glittering career with the Dubs in 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1983. The two-time All-Star took over from Kevin Heffernan as Dublin manager in 1986 and took charge of the Derry team that claimed provincial glory in 1998, their most recent Ulster title until this year, and guided the Oak Leaf County to a National League title in his first season in charge in 1996. Mullins won five Dublin club championships, three Leinster titles and one All-Ireland with his club St Vincent's.
Red Og Murphy
Red Og Murphy was just 21-years of age when he tragically passed away earlier this year. The Sligo man featured in all 12 of his counties 2020 and 2021 league and championship games, scoring a combined 1-15 across those matches before taking a year out ahead of the 2022 season to concentrate on club football and his studies at DCU. The Curry native lined out for DCU in the Sigerson Cup this season and was named at midfield on the Sigerson Cup Team of the Year for some of his outstanding performances throughout the competition having helped his side reach the last four.
Dillon Quirke
The Tipperary hurler sadly died aged just 24 having taken ill during a club championship game while lining out for Clonoulty Rossmore against Kilruane MacDonaghs. Quirke helped his club win the Tipperary SHC in 2018, scoring two points from play in the final as they overcame Nenagh Éire Óg by four points. Quirke won two Munster minor medals at county level as well as an All-Ireland title in 2016 along with a u-21 All-Ireland title two years later. Quirke made his senior debut during the 2020 season and became a regular starter on the team over the last number of years.
Frank Toman
Toman holds a unique record as being the only person to have ever won the Hogan Cup with two different schools. At the age of 14, Toman came on as a second half substitute when St Coleman's, Newry defeated St Jarlath's Tuam in the 1967 Hogan Cup final before hitting 1-4 for St Mary's in the 1971 decider against Colaiste Iosagain. The Clann Eireann man also played for Armagh and won Ulster titles with the Orchard County at minor and senior level, while lining out in their 1977 All-Ireland final defeat to Dublin, coming on as a substitute.
Brother Larry Ennis
Brother Larry Ennis gave a long, dedicated service to schools football, both as a coach and an administrator and taught in St Mary's CBS, Belfast, St Patrick's Armagh and Omagh CBS, where he won three MacRory Cup titles. He managed the Armagh minor team that reached the All-Ireland final in 1992, but heartbreakingly lost out to Meath by a last-minute goal. A number of that team went on to lift the Sam Maguire Cup for the first time in Armagh's history in 2002. He also managed Antrim to their most recent McKenna Cup title in 1981.
Hugh Niblock
Hugh Niblock passed away in mid-February of this year and will be remembered as a GAA stalwart. Originally from Magherafelt, Niblock was part of the Derry team that won two Ulster titles in 1970 and 1975, and also picked up a Derry SFC medal with the O'Donovan Rossa club in 1978, before relocating to Belfast. While there, he engrossed himself with the St Gall's club and watched on with great pride when his son Kevin, who was a regular star for Antrim, won an All-Ireland club title in 2010.
Seamus Hoare
The Donegal great sadly passed away in May and was widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers of his generation. Hoare represented Ulster on numerous occasions in the Railway Cup and won five titles between 1963 and 1968. The St Eunan's Letterkenny man was named on the Donegal Team of the Millennium and played for his county for 14-years, making 25 championship appearances during that time. Hoare played in Donegal's first two Ulster final appearances, in 1963 and 1966 both ending in defeat to Down. He won three McKenna Cups and three Lagan Cups along with four county titles at club level.
Enda McGowan
Cavan great Enda McGowan lost his life in June. McGowan was born in Co. Leitrim and played minor inter-county football for the Connacht side, but later settled in Ballyhaise in Cavan and lined out for club and county over many years. The attack minded half back claimed Ulster honours with the Breffni County in 1967 and 1969, losing finals in 1968, 1976 and 1978 (when he captained the side), a McKenna Cup in 1968 and also won two back-to-back Railway Cup medals while representing Ulster in 1970 and 1971. He was a selector for the Breffni Blues when they reached the 1983 Ulster final but lost to Donegal.
Mary Martin
Mary Martin was one of the last surviving members of the Antrim team that claimed All-Ireland Camogie gold in 1947, beating Dublin in the decider by three-points, 2-4 to 2-1 while also overcoming Tipperary along the way. Martin represented her club with great devotion and played a pivotal role in helping the Ahoghill club win their first ever Antrim Senior Camogie title in 1948. Martin was an inspirational figure for both teams and also captained both sides to victory.
Lily Spence
Spence played on Antrim's 1947 All-Ireland winning team as well but later on was elected President of the Camogie Association in 1956 and also held the role of treasurer for two decades. Spence was a founding member of the Ulster Camogie Colleges Council and served as secretary for 50-years. The St Teresa's club member refereed four All-Ireland Camogie finals and was a huge driving force for Camogie not only throughout the province of Ulster but further afield as well.
Kieran Denvir
Denvir was a second half substitute for Down as they defeated Kerry in the 1960 All-Ireland final to bring the Sam Maguire trophy across the border for the first time ever. Denvir made his county debut in the famed red and black shirt in 1953 and later helped the Mourne County overcome Cavan in the 1959 Ulster final to lift the Anglo Celt trophy for the very first time in their history. Denvir was the captain of UCD's Sigerson Cup winning team in 1956, when they defeated UCC by four points, 1-8 to 1-4.
PJ McElroy
McElroy was another member of the Down team that created history in 1960, being part of the squad but started at full forward in the 1961 All-Ireland final. McElroy played for the Mourne County from 1953 to 1962 and picked up three Ulster Championship titles along with his two All-Ireland medals. He starred at midfield for the first ever St Coleman's College, Newry team to win the MacRory Cup in 1949 and won back-to-back Down SFC medals with Glenn
