GALWAY GALL
Soccer club slammed as ‘tone-deaf’ over ‘stop sign’ pic of player who killed father in horror car smash
GALWAY United have apologised after they posted an image online of a player depicted as holding a stop sign who had previously killed a dad-of-two in a road smash.
It is uncertain whether the image is genuine or photoshopped, but the post generated a number of critical responses.
The insensitive blunder shows midfielder Edward Mccarthy holding the red traffic notice in his jersey with a grin on his face.
What appears to be part of a team photoshoot was posted to Instagram earlier this week and was accompanied by
Sophie Ellisbextor’s song
Murder on the
Dancefloor.
Social media users was quick to slam the post which has since been deleted.
One said, “Wow, not a good look at all” while another described it as
“the most tonedeaf thing I’ve seen in a while”.
A third added:
“Ah here did he not say something when they asked him to hold it.”
Others even believed it has been “Photoshopped”.
The 22-year-old pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Polish man Andrezej Obalek following a collision on February 18, 2020. At the time, Mccarthy was playing for Cork City FC U19s and had been driving home to Limerick with three other passengers following a training session.
During the court case, Sgt Tony Cronin said the soccer player lost control of his car after coming through the Ballybeg Bends near Buttevent.
He explained that this caused Mccarthy’s car to cross over to the wrong side of the road.
Mccarthy then hit Mr Obalek’s car which was travelling towards Cork.
Mr Obalek’s vehicle hit a ditch and the 55-year-old was killed instantly.
Mccarthy then collided with the car which was behind Mr Obalek’s vehicle. The driver of that vehicle only sustained minor injuries.
Mccarthy and his passengers were uninjured despite his car spinning around. In November 2020, he was given a two-year suspended sentence and banned from getting behind the wheel for seven years by Judge Sean O Donnabhain at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. During the court case, Sgt Tony Cronin said Mccarthy was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The cop said he believed the smash was caused by the soccer player driving at excessive speed into bends and losing control of his vehicle.
Urszula Obalek-owstrowska, who was the victim’s sister, said in an impact statement which was read to the court: “Andrezej’s death caused a great gap in my life that I cannot fill with anything.”
Galway United FC “wish to advise that there was no offence intended by a recent social media post issued by the club and would like to unreservedly apologise for any hurt or distress that the post may have caused”.
Unreservedly apologise for any hurt or distress that the post may have caused GALWAY UNITED FC