Two Cavan county GAA footballers were caught up in a shooting drama in southern Spain as a masked man opened fire on a restaurant in a Costa del Sol resort town.
Cian Madden and Conor Brady, both members of the Gowna club, were reportedly in the restaurant when the shooting happened on Tuesday in Puerto Banus near Marbella.
Their club said the pair were "safe and well" with the county adding they were "caught in the wrong place at the wrong time but both were fine".
Cian (23) and Conor (25) wanted to just enjoy the last days of their holiday before returning to play in a Division 1 league semi-final for their club on Saturday, Cavan GAA said.
Tourists reportedly dived for cover or scattered as the gunman approached the restaurant near the Cristamar shopping centre around 6pm on Tuesday. He fired at least three shots from the semi-automatic weapon.
Police in Spain are hunting for two gunmen who opened fire at a holiday resort in the Costa del Sol. The incident happened at the Apartamentos Don Carlos in Puerto Banus, a popular tourist destination.#shooting #CostadelSol #Marbella #Spain https://t.co/QCsLIV8YRl pic.twitter.com/1ali2wf9NO
— International Crisis Room 360 (@ICR360) July 19, 2023
Local reports state he is believed to have stepped out of a car seconds before opening fire. Footage shows him calmly walking back to the car, which left the scene, a getaway driver at the wheel.
Police said no-one was believed injured and no arrests had been made by Wednesday. The getaway vehicle was later found in flames.
Last July, two Irish people were injured when a gunman opened fire inside a nightclub in Marbella.
Following the drama, the two footballers are due to return to line out for their club against Crosserlough on Saturday in Breffni Park.
Madden and Brady helped Gowna to an Ulster Club semi-final last year, where the club was defeated by Enniskillen Gaels.
