A member of the Cork City Football Club squad was one of two victims of a weekend crash in north Cork which occurred when five friends were going for a night out after watching the Waterford versus Cork hurling match on television.
Cork City FC junior player James Sexton (19) of Firmount, Castlelyons, Co Cork, and Michael Murphy (22) of Main Street in the town, died after the car in which they were travelling hit a pillar at Strawhall, Fermoy, at about 9.20pm on Sunday.
The two men, who were rear-seat passengers in the car, died at the scene of the crash.
Three of their friends, a female driver, a female passenger and a male passenger, were treated at Cork University Hospital for minor injuries.
The two women have been discharged from hospital while the man's condition is described as stable.
All five people in the car were in their late teens or early 20s.
Chairman of Cork City FC Brian Lennox said James Sexton was a promising player who would be sorely missed.
Mr Sexton started out at the club at the age of 16 and won an FAI youth medal last year. He recently graduated from the under-21 team and was training with the seniors.
"He was talented and we think he would have had a great future ahead of him. Our thoughts are with the family as it is very tragic. We think he would have made it at the club. He was one of our stars of the future."
Mr Sexton was training as a carpenter at the time of his death, while the second road victim, Michael Murphy, was in the building trade.
Castlelyons curate Fr Dan McCarthy said the tragedy was having a profound impact on the community. Prayers were offered at Masses in Castlelyons and Fermoy yesterday.
Fermoy mayor Cllr William Hughes described it as a black day for the area. He said it had been a particularly tragic summer in north Cork, with the recent drowning of a 14-year-old in Fermoy and the drowning of a mother and her nine-month-old son in Kilworth.
It is understood that driving conditions were favourable at the time of the crash. Witnesses to the crash were yesterday being asked to contact Fermoy or Mitchelstown Garda stations.