Garda probe violent incident as GAA’s summer of shame rolls on
By Paddy Hickey
Friday June 15 2007
The ‘D’ word has reared its ugly head in the GAA world once again with two more disciplinary controversies in Kerry and Meath - the first of which is being investigated by garda.
The violent scenes in Kerry saw a team manager sustain a suspected fractured jaw, loosened teeth and swelling on the side of his face after he was head-butted in the face by a member of the opposing team. The trouble erupted in a North Kerry League football semi-final between local rivals Clounmacon ‘A’ and St Senan’s ‘B’ on Tuesday night at Finuge.
After the incident, Clounmacon manager Enda Murphy underwent an X-ray at Tralee Hospital. But, because the swelling was so severe, he must return for a second X-ray on Monday. Murphy, 31, was confronted by a St Senan’s player . . . he was knocked to the ground and was unconscious for “about 20 seconds”.
“When I got up, I had blood pumping from my nose and mouth and the trauma of the whole experience left me in tears,” explained Murphy, who has made a complaint about the assault to the Listowel garda. According to Murphy, the mental scars are considerably more difficult to cope with than the physical discomfort.
“Even though you are the victim, you feel terrible because of the humiliation and embarrassment resulting from the incident and I haven’t been outside the house since it happened,” he explained.
"I work as a taxi driver in Listowel but I’d say it will be another two weeks before I will be able to face going back to work. To make matters worse, my partner saw the whole thing, as she was sitting in the stand at the match.
“It’s been additionally hurtful and disappointing that no member of the St Senan’s club has bothered to lift the phone to ask me how I am after the ordeal.”
Because of the incident, Murphy has resigned as manager of the divisional Feale Rangers U21 team - a side which Clounmacon and St Senan’s players are both eligible to play for - after four years at the helm. After the confrontation, which happened with about eight minutes to go, the Clounmacon mentors took their team off the field, and took no further part in the match.
North Kerry Board chairman Liam Dennehy has confirmed that the matter will be dealt as soon as the referee’s report is received.
Meanwhile, a club match in Meath on Tuesday night between St Patrick’s Stamullen and Dunsany had to be abandoned because of a serious bust-up.
These latest incidents compound a summer of shame for the GAA, which has seen a well-publicised row between Cork and Clare hurlers and a Westmeath referee being felled at a local club match.