Players to be offered help after Ryan loss

DERRY CITY players who wish to seek counselling following the tragic loss of captain Ryan McBride will be able to avail of the services of the same experts who helped the Munster squad following the death of Anthony ‘Axel’ Foley (below) last year. The Irish Ruby Union Players’ Association (IRUPA) have reached out to the Professional Footballers Association of Ireland (PFAI) with assistance after the Candystripes skipper passed away over the weekend. Derry’s re-arranged game with Limerick as well as Saturday’s clash with Galway have already been postponed along with the first round of EA Sports Cup fixtures set to take place this week. The club released a statement which read: ‘Derry City Football Club is deeply saddened by the untimely death of our captain, Ryan McBride. Our prayers and thoughts are with his father, Lexie, his sisters Colleen, Siuinin and Caitlain, and his partner Mairead, who are heartbroken at his loss. We are also conscious of his teammates and our management and support staff. Ryan was a player and a great captain but he was also their friend and teammate. They are deeply shocked and will miss his inspiration and his leadership.’ McBride’s funeral will take place on Thursday with several League of Ireland players set to attend along with Ireland international James McClean, who was a teammate of McBride’s and penned an emotional tribute on social media following the death of his friend. ‘We lost someone I had to the privilege to play along aside but also got on well with off the field, a warrior that literally would throw his body on the line when he pulled on that Derry City jersey, a club that meant so much to him, but more importantly a big gentleman off the field.. sleep tight big man may god bless you and your family.’