Westport United mourns a great

Westport United mourns a ‘great’


Daniel Carey

“ONE of the greatest players I ever played with.” That’s how Ronnie Ring described his former Westport Crusaders and Westport United team-mate Paddy Smith, who has died after a long illness.
Paddy Smith was a member of the Westport United team which won the Connacht Cup in Terryland Park, Galway in May 1987. He headed the ball off the line during the first half of a game where the Covies beat West United 2-1.
“Paddy was one of the most natural footballers I ever played with,” Ronnie Ring, who was also part of that victorious Westport United squad, told The Mayo News. “He had a lovely left peg. He always had time on the ball, he always made it look easy. And he’d play the ball out from the back, he wasn’t one of these fellas who’d hoof it. He was class.”
An avid Manchester United fan, Paddy, of Saleen, Castlebar and formerly of Tiernaur, Newport and The Quay, Westport, died at the age of 55. “He was a good leader, a great man to get you going,” Ronnie Ring recalled. “He had great control, and he wasn’t afraid to give out to you if you didn’t do your job. He was so determined, and a most skilful player.”
Ring joked that Paddy’s aversion to training has gone down “in soccer folklore”. Manager John Herrick picked him at the weekend regardless of whether he was present on Tuesday and Thursday nights – “Paddy was so good that he had to play,” explained his former team-mate, who recalls that he did once famously turn up for training down The Point on New Year’s Eve! “There were times he’d have a cigarette at half time,” Ring added with a smile as he recalled the “good, witty character” with whom he played many times.
Large crowd attended the funeral services at McGing’s Funeral Home, St Mary’s Church and Aughavale Cemetery last week. Members of Westport United provided a guard of honour, while some of the Castlebar Celtic players with whom he had great duels were among those to attend.