Michael McShane will have mixed emotions on Friday night at Croke Park when Damian Casey’s name is called out at wing forward on the 2022 combination Ring, Rackard, Meagher Team of the Year.
Casey, one of Tyrone’s greatest hurlers, passed away last June following an accident in Spain. He was only 29 at the time. Just four weeks earlier he had starred in Tyrone’s Rackard Cup final win over Roscommon at Croke Park, during which he scored 0-14.
The Dungannon man’s contribution to Tyrone’s success this season has now been posthumously recognised by inclusion in the Team of the Year for the Ring, Rackard and Meagher tiers, with a banquet for the awards taking place on Friday night at GAA headquarters.
“My initial reaction is one of immense sadness, because that is the same feeling I get whenever I think of Damian, which is quite often, as I still find it very hard to believe that he is no longer amongst us,” says McShane, the Tyrone senior hurling manager.
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“Sadness that we won’t all be going down together on Friday to enjoy a night in each other’s company and sadness that Damian is no longer here and he won’t be there in person to take the adulation of his peers in receiving the award.”
It is the fourth consecutive year for Casey to be recognised in the Team of the Year. In his 40 appearances for Tyrone, he scored in every single game and McShane believes Casey was the standout player in this year’s Rackard competition.
“It was never in any doubt Damian would be in the selection, he hasn’t got this award through any sympathetic vote or anything like that, it’s completely on merit,” he adds.
“Damian was the star player in the Rackard Cup this year and I think every other manager in the competition would agree on that. He scored 14 points in the final against Roscommon, he put in an unbelievable performance that day, not only a performance of great technical skill but also one of great leadership.”
McShane continues to enjoy incredible success as Slaughtneil manager and last month they won a 10th successive Derry senior hurling championship, of which he has been at the helm for eight. However, the passing of Casey has left a hole in Ulster hurling circles and McShane, appointed Tyrone manager in early 2021, remains thankful he got the opportunity to work with him over the last two seasons.
“There is a sense of pride from a personal point of view that I was lucky enough to manage and get to know Damian over the last few years. I said it in the aftermath of his passing, he was an unbelievable hurler who could have played on any team, he would have stepped up to any level. Damian had all the skills and tools to play at the very top, and I include teams like Limerick and Galway and Kilkenny in that.
“On top of being a great hurler he was an absolute gentleman and a superb human being, so I’m delighted I had the chance to manage him and get to know him as a person.”
In total, there are eight counties represented on the combined Team of the Year, including five from Christy Ring winners Kildare - Paddy McKenna, Rian Boran, Paul Divilly, Brian Byrne and James Burke.
Former Mayo footballer Keith Higgins is also among the 15 for the second straight year. There are eight players from the Ring Cup included, five from the Rackard Cup and two from the Meagher Cup.
The awards will be presented at a gala banquet in Croke Park this Friday night, where the Joe McDonagh Team of the Year and the Tailteann Cup Football Team of the Year will also be honoured.
2022 Ring, Rackard & Meagher Team of the Year:
1: Paddy McKenna (Kildare/Ring)
2: Dermot Begley (Tyrone/Rackard) (Previous winner in 2018)
3: Rian Boran (Kildare/Ring) (Previous winner in 2020)
4: Mark Craig (Derry/Ring)
5: Chris Kearns (Tyrone/Rackard)
6: Paul Divilly (Kildare/Ring) (Previous winner in 2020)
7: Padraig Kelly (Roscommon/Rackard)
8: Paddy Lynam (Longford/Meagher)
9: Keith Higgins (Mayo/Ring) (Previous winner in 2021)
10: Brian Byrne (Kildare/Ring)
11: Andy Kilcullen (Sligo/Ring)
12: Damian Casey (Tyrone/Rackard) (Previous winner in 2019, 2020 & 2021)
13: James Burke (Kildare/Ring) (Previous winner in 2020)
14: Darren Geoghegan (Louth/Meagher)
15: Daniel Glynn (Roscommon/Rackard)
