'Always had a smile' - Soccer coach pays tribute to Irish teen and mother killed in Pakistan crash

A young man from Ballinrobe who was killed in a road accident in Pakistan has been remembered as someone who ‘lit up the changing room’ by his long-time soccer coach.

Noreen Shafiq (55) and her son Umar (18) were killed in a collision which occurred on Thursday near the city of Samundri Tehsil, located in the Faisalabad district of the province of Punjab. Three other members of the Shafique family were injured during the accident and have been hospitalised for injuries. 

It has been reported that the incident occurred when a privately owned bus collided with a car coming in the opposite direction. 

Umar was also a member of Ballinrobe Town FC soccer club, who have had their Mayo Football League fixtures postponed as a mark of respect. 

Speaking to The Mayo News on Friday evening, Umar’s former soccer coach Marc Hughes described him as an ‘outgoing, happy young lad’ who was ‘very jovial and very mischievous from a young age’. 

Umar represented Mayo on a number of occasions at underage and was named as goalkeeper on the Helen Johnson Mayo Under-18 Division Two Team of the Year in 2023.

This season, he played in goal for Ballinrobe Town’s second team and was second-choice goalkeeper for their Super League side. 

“As he developed then into a teenager it was clear that he was ambitious, both from a sporting perspective but also from a school and education perspective,” Mr Hughes said. 

“He always lit up the changing room with his jokes and with his positive attitude to the games, always had a smile, always great company whenever we took him to the away games.”

Mr Hughes, who coached Umar from a young age, described news of his passing as ‘devastating’. 

“I have twin lads who have played with him since the U-9s, U-10s, they were shocked, they’ve been very quiet since. They have been in touch with their teammates. They are all clearly shocked as you would expect. It was a terrible news to hear and he is definitely going to be a terrible loss to the football club, and to the team,” he said. 

“He is going to be missed from a sporting perspective as well as his personality.”

Mr Hughes also paid tribute to his deceased mother, Noreen, and his father, Shafique, who was hospitalised following the crash. 

“His parents dropped him off every weekend for training. His father always had the biggest smile,” said Mr Hughes. 

“His mother was also a character. She would drive him to the games whenever she could, she’d drop him to training at home and she’d be always welcoming us with a huge smile.”

Umar Shafique was a past student of Ballinrobe Community School having just completed his Leaving Certificate. 

The oratory at Ballinrobe Community School has been opened for students wishing to visit it for silent prayer.

Funeral details for Umar and Noreen Shafique have yet to be announced.