Seán Cox presents GAA jersey to Mo Salah

Sarah Slater

An Irish father-of-three who suffered serious injuries in an unprovoked attack prior to a soccer match in Liverpool eight years ago presented top goal scorer Mo Salah with a special GAA jersey over the weekend.

The attack by three Italian men who were Roma fans on Seán Cox, from Dunboyne, Co Meath left him with brain injuries which have impacted his life. The attack occurred prior to Liverpool's Champions League semi-final against Roma at Anfield in 2018.

Cox, who is now 60, spent months in a coma in Liverpool, before transferring back to hospitals in Ireland and continues to require full-time medical care. More than €2.7 million has been raised through donations to help the Meath man.

At Saturday’s Liverpool game at Anfield, Cox gifted the Egyptian with a Dunboyne GAA jersey with his name and number on the back.

Salah (33) is Liverpool's all-time top goalscorer in the history of the Premier League.

The jersey also had a special inscription under the crest with a message of thanks from the Cox family. He along with his wife Martina were guests of honour at the match.

With Salah's name and number on the back, the jersey also had a message embroidered beneath the crest which read: "Ní shiúlfaidh tú i d’aonar go deo (You'll never walk alone). Le míle buíochas (a thousand thanks) Mo. From the Cox Family.”

Scores of well-known names across soccer, entertainment and business fundraised to help Cox including former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool and Roma managements, Irish international Shane Coleman, and comedians Tommy Tiernan, John Bishop and Deirdre O’Kane.

Three men were jailed when found guilty of attacking Cox.