McShane: Star was elite level
first year. Everyone accepts and would have known that Damian was the driving force behind Tyrone hurling.
“He was a big part of any of my decision-making.”
McShane recalls it vividly, the “awful high” of winning the Rackard Cup and how low they were as a group 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 (above) emotion in the room.
“We just said we will be there for each other. We would support each other.
“There was a great outpouring of grief across Tyrone and the country. There was a week we were waiting for Damian’s remains to come home.
“We just kept talking to each other and kept the communication lines open and tried to play our part in supporting Damian’s family and honouring him on the day of the funeral.
Players
“The Dungannon club put a lot of things in place to help their own players to deal with (left) that. Everybody wanted to deal with it in their own way. Some people processed it quicker than others.”
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
A SERIOUS TALENT:
The late Damian Casey in action for Tyrone 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 and push Tyrone on.
People
“That was the attitude of everybody that was there last year and people who have come on board this year.
“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.
“Every man with Tyrone senior hurlers this year, whether a player or manager are doing it for one primary reason, to carry on the great work Damian Casey did for Tyrone hurling over 10 years.
“He’s the man that carried the baton of responsibility and now it’s been passed on to each and every one. We feel that responsibility.
“We take a lot of pride in doing that and carrying that on and that’s what we hope to do.
“The best way to serve Damian’s memory is to keep driving Tyrone to a better place, the best place they can possibly be.
“We have already done that last year with Damian’s help and input and now without him we have to carry on.”
MICHAEL McShane has no doubts about the ability the late Damian Casey possessed.
The Tyrone hurling manager believes the Eoghan Ruadh man would have cut it in any company.
Tonight, Tyrone will place competitively for the first time since Casey tragically died last summer, just weeks after shooting 14 points in their Nicky Rackard Cup final triumph over Roscommon at Croke Park.
It was the final game of his 101 consecutive appearances for the county.
“Damian was a one off,” says McShane. “One of those exceptional players that came from a county that wasn’t renowned for hurling and playing at a lower level.
Ability
“I believe Damian could have played for any team in Ireland.
“Damian would have fitted into the current Limerick team. He had the physique, the athleticism, the hurling ability.
“He was a magical hurler, a beautiful striker of the ball.
“He had the temperament. He had everything going for him
“What I found going down to Tyrone is that the people who are passionate about hurling in Dungannon are as passionate about it as anybody else, anywhere in the country.”