Over €500 raised in match for Cardiac Risk charity
By Aideen O'Flaherty
AN ANNUAL charity football tournament, in honour of a young Kingswood man who died as a result of sudden cardiac death syndrome in February 2010, raised €520 for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young).
Two teams competed to win the Ciaran McDonnell Memorial Cup over the weekend, namely Team Kiwi, named after Ciaran’s nickname, and Kingswood Castle Football Club.
The match was “electric, absolutely brilliant and . . . was the best game we’ve had”
The match came to a nail-biting finish with a draw, which meant penalties became the deciding factor as to what team would be crowned the winners.
Team Kiwi were the winners of the Cup following a penalty shoot-out. The event, now in its eighth year, also offered an opportunity for Ciaran’s family, friends and the community to come together to remember their friend.
Dean Bonnie and Sharlene Kennedy from Kingswood Castle FC organised the event, which also featured a raffle, drinks and live music in the Kingswood Lodge after the match.
Sharlene, chairperson of Kingswood Castle FC, told The Echo: “It was electric, absolutely brilliant and, footballing-wise, it was the best game we’ve had.
“It was 3-4 up until the last minute of the game, then Team Kiwi scored and it went down to penalties.”
A minute’s silence was also held at the event in memory of Ciaran, and his friends and family got the opportunity to reminisce about him.
“The cup is going from strength to strength,” Sharlene said, “and it shows how important and how loved Ciaran was by his friends and his community.
“We do it to keep his memory alive, to have a fun day to remember someone that everyone loved. It was a great community event.”
Sharlene is already looking ahead to next year’s memorial cup, and is determined to keep Ciaran’s memory alive.
“We started the cup because we didn’t want Ciaran to be forgotten,” she said. “But he was such a big character – he will never be forgotten.”
TAGS Tallaght
