Cathal McCarron
Tyrone GAA chiefs have said they are standing by star Cathal McCarron after the Sunday World revealed he had gone ‘on the run’ over crippling gambling debts.
The Sunday World can reveal the All Star nominee was found in a fellow player’s home last weekend.
The 25-year-old has not been seen around his hometown of Dromore since the incident last Sunday evening and is reported to be ‘on the run’, leaving behind the wreckage of a glittering football career and a host of disgruntled creditors.
It has emerged that the talented but troubled sportsman has “significant” gambling debts and his club side Dromore St Dympnas forked out thousands of pounds to send the player to Galway to receive addiction therapy at Sister Consilio’s famous therapy centre.
A source close to the Tyrone management team said last night: “His county career is hanging by a thread after this.”
McCarron in action for Tyrone this summer
On Friday morning the father-of-one was nominated for a prestigious All Star award, but off the pitch his life is in turmoil after the defender was confronted by vigilant neighbours at the home of a fellow GAA player in the village of Trillick, Co. Tyrone, last Sunday.
McCarron had known the house would be empty because Trillick GAC were due to play in the quarter-finals of the Tyrone Senior Football Championship that afternoon.
While Trillick were getting beaten, McCarron, who has won several major honours with Dromore, was rummaging through his friend’s house.
But he was spotted acting strangely and was caught by a relative who lives nearby.
Bizarrely, when they tackled McCarron he hid in the bathroom and claimed he was only there to “play a prank”.
“He claimed he had only broken into the house because he wanted to erect a Dromore flag over the fireplace to wind up his mate,” said a source.
Locals believe the true story is that McCarron was looking for cash or anything of value to feed his gambling addiction.
The owners of the house decided not to involve the police.
Last night sources in Tyrone told the Sunday World that McCarron had been told to get away from the area and there were unconfirmed reports he had fled to London.
Tyrone manager Mickey Harte
McCarron is highly regarded by Tyrone boss Mickey Harte, who played him in defence throughout the 2013 championship.
But McCarron has been fighting a losing battle with the bookies and sources have confirmed he has been involved in a number of dubious situations over missing cash.
These include a conviction for bounced cheques and he was recently ordered to pay back charity money he raised but failed to send on.
He also previously worked for a Gaelic football magazine but was caught selling adverts for cash and pocketing the money.
“Cathal has a serious gambling problem which he’s been fighting for about seven years,” said a source.
“He has lost jobs because of it and lost many friends over it. It’s tragic really because he’s a decent lad.”
But last weekend saw him involved in a bizarre attempt to get access to money.
“McCarron didn’t realise he was being watched by the man’s neighbours, who had seen him acting suspiciously before witnessing him going for the hidden house key,” said our source.
“When they saw him go for the house key they decided to confront him because they knew something wasn’t right.
“He claimed he was only there because he had been planning to play a prank. It’s completely bizarre.”
However, the story has been widely circulated and people who know him in Tyrone have said they are not surprised.
McCarron was forced to quit his Twitter account after members of the public started to abuse him.
“He was getting messages from footballers saying, ‘I’ve got a match on Saturday at 2.30 Cathal – shall I just leave the back door open?’” said a source.
“It’s been difficult for his family. He’s a smashing fella, but he has an addiction which he can’t seem to beat, despite his friends and family going to great lengths to help him.
“Mickey Harte has been brilliant and really tried to support him and his local club Dromore have paid a fortune sending him to Galway for therapy.
“He’s p***ed a lot of people off in Tyrone, but a lot of people feel genuinely sorry for him. Aside from anything else, the team can’t afford to lose players of his quality.
“It’s amazing he’s been able to play to such a high level with the stress of what he must be going through.”