The Gaelic football world was in shock this morning at the sudden death of Tyrone GAA football Captain Cormac McAnallen.

Mr McAnallen, who was a 24-year-old schoolteacher from Eglish in Co Tyrone, was found dead in bed at his parents home in the early hours of this morning.

Tributes have been flooding in for the All-Ireland winning football star, recently appointed as captain of the Tyrone side following an injury to Peter Canavan.

Tyrone Manager Mickey Harte expressed his disbelief at what had happened to the popular player who he described as "a born leader" and who had been a role model for young players.

Captaining minor, under-21 and senior sides in a glittering career, he had led the senior side to victory in the McKenna cup recently and played a key role in the Tyrone defeat of champions Armagh at Croke Park in September last year.

Paying tribute, Mr Harte said that Cormac was a true gentleman and that it was going to be difficult to recover from the loss. He expressed his sympathies for the McAnallen family.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern also paid tribute to Mr McAnallen whom he had met recently. He said that he was shocked and saddened to learn of the death of this "wonderful young man" who he said would be deeply missed.

"On behalf of myself and my colleagues in government, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his fiancé, his family, his team mates and the people of Tyrone," said Mr Ahern.

(SP)