Down's Poland brothers, Mark and Conor, suffered the heartache of the death of their grandfather Mark minutes before Wednesday night's Dr McKenna Cup tie against Antrim.

Mark Snr had travelled to Casement Park with his two grandsons, both of whom had been named in James McCartan's starting XV against the Saffrons.

However, moments before the game was due to start, the brothers learned that their grandfather had been taken ill at the ground.

They immediately withdrew from the starting line-up, where they were replaced by Marty Clarke and Conor Maginn, but attempts to revive Mark Snr proved futile.

Down manager James McCartan told the Irish News, "It was 27 minutes past seven and we were being called as the national anthem was about to be played. We got word to pull the two boys out...

"The two Poland boys went out to play a bit of football and it turned out to be a very traumatic evening for them."

Mark Poland Snr was 71 years of age.

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