A young boy from Dundalk died in hospital yesterday afternoon, after a goalpost fell on him in Navan.
Lee Myles (10) was playing with a group of children at the training posts when the goal- post fell and hit him on the neck.
The incident happened as a soccer match between Navan Town and Woodview Celtic was due to get under way at the pitch on the Athboy Road, at about 2.15 p.m.
Lee's father, Damien, is a player with Woodview Celtic, a Dundalk team.
An ambulance rushed to the scene from Our Lady's Hospital in Navan and the boy was admitted in a critical condition. He died shortly afterwards.
Mr Gerry Gorman, secretary of the Meath and District League, said everyone was "totally and utterly devastated" by the incident. "It must have been absolutely horrendous for the people involved and our hearts go out to the family," he said.
Mr Derek McCabe, secretary of Woodview Celtic, said it was a terrible blow for the team and their supporters.
"Everyone knew him because he was at all the matches with his father," he said. Mr McCabe said Woodview Celtic was a close knit team that had been together for about 12 or 14 years.
"It began as a very small club, kicking a ball about on the street.
"Everyone is very close. The family knows that our sympathies are fully with them," he said.
Mr Kevin McGee of Woodview Celtic was with the Myles family last night and said people were still trying to understand what had happened.
It was such a simple accident and could have just as easily ended in a broken leg or arm, he said.
"Everyone at Woodview Celtic is so sorry at what happened," he said.
