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Young fan dies while playing footie

Kahnee

By Kahnee
in Liverpool FC

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Kahnee

Kahnee

Posted
Posted

Family are hoping the club will put his name on the scoreboard (finally, a use for the damn thing) tomorrow night.

He was due to come over for the Arsenal game on Sunday

 

A FATHER battled to save the life of his young son who collapsed and died while playing football with his friends near his home.

 

Graham O'Connell (14) had been playing in the green area of The Steeples, Mayfield, Co Cork, when he collapsed suddenly at about 5.45pm on Monday.

 

It is understood he had suffered from a heart condition.

 

The football-mad youngster, and pupil of St Aidan's Community College in Dublin Hill, was due to travel to England at the weekend to watch his beloved Liverpool team play Arsenal.

 

Following the sudden death, Graham's heartbroken friends started up a Twitter campaign to have him remembered on the Anfield scoreboard tomorrow night when Liverpool play Hearts in the Europa League.

 

One friend tweeted: "Please remember the passing of 14-year-old Graham O'Connell, a huge Liverpool fan, by displaying his name on the scoreboard Thurs nite."

 

Local councillor Ted Tynan, who knows the family, said: "There were other kids on the road as well and he just fell down on the ground.

 

Devastated

 

"I called to the house this morning and they are devastated. He was out on the road kicking the ball, looking forward to going over to the Liverpool game next weekend. He would have been full of life that way."

 

Graham's devastated father David rushed to his son's aid with the help of a local doctor and another neighbour after the teenager collapsed.

 

The emergency services responded to frantic calls for help and battled to save the young boy's life.

 

He was later pronounced dead at Cork University Hospital. The O'Connell family were too upset to speak last night.

 

Graham is survived by his parents David and Jackie and sisters Edel and Karen.

 

Neighbour Dolores Hosford described Graham as outgoing, chatty and respectful. "We knew him since he was a little kid. He was a big Liverpool fan.

 

"Hopefully they'll put his name up on the scoreboard," she said.

 

Graham's removal service will take place this evening at the Coburg Street funeral home at 7pm and the funeral will be at Our Lady Crowned Church in Mayfield at noon tomorrow.

 

He will be laid to rest in St Catherine's Cemetery, Kilcully.

 

Irish Indie

Molby

Molby

Posted
Posted

Six and a half hours and not one person bothers to comment on this ....

 

might not be that

 

speaking for myself, I decided to wait until a new thread went up, which was commented on at the time by Kahnee and would imagine others did the same

 

anyway, devastating beyond belief. Hope the club does something tomorrow

ExCorkExile

ExCorkExile

Posted
Posted

As a fellow Red and Corkonian my deepest sympathies go out to the family of this young man.

 

RIP Graham

 

YNWA

Well said, also as a fellow red and Corkonian i'll echo those thoughts

RedSalmon

RedSalmon

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm pretty much a lurker on this site and don't post very often. But if there is any level of comfort I can give to the family by posting this message of condolence for one of our own, then let this be it.

 

RIP Graham. YNWA

Edited by redsalmon

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