N IS THE REASON WE ARE HERE

really easy going. It’s just awful.”

Michael Mcshane, the Tyrone manager, says the main reason he ended up in the job was through conversations with Casey.

“It was his passion for Tyrone hurling that really enticed me,” says Mcshane. “When he talked about Tyrone hurling he talked about it with a serious passion.

“Damian would have confirmed it for me, that they were probably punching below their weight and there was talent in the county that could be harnessed.

“They weren’t realising their potential. It was a challenge and there’s nothing I like more than a challenge.

“I got to know him very, very well. Damian was the driving force behind Tyrone hurling. He was a big part of my decision making.”

Mcshane recalls it vividly, the “awful high” of winning the Rackard Cup and how low they were a few short weeks later.

“The excitement of winning that,” says the Ballycastle man, who has managed Slaughtneil for nine years. “We had a fabulous season.

“When the news filtered through it was obviously a massive shock to everybody throughout the county, most especially obviously to Damian’s family and close friends.

“He had a lot of close friends on the team. We all mourned together. We got together a couple of nights after Damian’s passing and we talked. There was a lot of emotion in the room.

“We just said we will be there for each other. We would support each other.”

Mcshane says it took him time to try and work through it: “Personally, I found it very difficult for a number of weeks, just to get my head around that it had actually happened.

“That you had gone from the highest of highs, standing looking at Damian in Croke Park putting 14 balls over the bar in an All-ireland final and four weeks later he is no longer with you.

“It’s very hard to process that and get used to it. We were just all there for each other.

“When we got back together things were going to go one of two ways.

“Either the heart was going to be ripped out of everybody and nobody would have the desire to go back.

“Or people were going to put their shoulder to the wheel harder than they have ever done.

“They are doing it for one reason. We don’t shout it from the rooftops.

“It’s being done for one reason and one reason only.

“Hopefully we can get a win in Dungannon and honour Damian’s memory in the best possible way.

“We will never forget Damian Casey, what he brought to Tyrone and what he represents.”