Tony Sheehan, who died in Dublin on Sunday at the age of 77, was one of the best known personalities in Irish football for nearly 50 years.

A respected member of the RTE staff, who combined broadcasting with a key role in the commercial life of the station until his retirement some 14 years ago, he was serving as the press officer of the National League at the time of his death.

Born in Fermoy, his background was in hurling and in that code he represented Cork in the intercounty minor championship in 1940 at a time when competition for places was exceptionally keen.

Hurling's loss was football's gain, however, when he moved to Dublin shortly afterwards and began a love affair with the game which would last for the rest of his life.

In 1953, he became a national figure when, on Philip Greene's appointment as sports officer of Radio Eireann, he took over the presentation of Soccer Survey, a programme which in those pre-television days attracted a huge audience on Sunday evenings.

Radio coverage of sport was relatively sparse in the early 1950s, and Sheehan's match reports - unfailingly introduced by the line "My game today was at . . ." - were required listening for all enthusiasts.

Subsequently, he was a founder member of the Soccer Writers Association of Ireland in 1961, and in the years which followed his special role was acknowledged by his peers when they named him Soccer Writer of the Year for his pertinent coverage of the sport in the Evening Press and Cork Examiner.

Although he regularly attended Dalymount Park and Lansdowne Road on international match days, the development of the League of Ireland was for him an abiding passion, and in time it was to serve the game well in his role as the league's press officer.

He is survived by his wife, Rita, son Ciaran and daughters Laura and Elizabeth.