Referee attacked
at
Mayobridge Carrickmore Match
ULSTER CLUB SEMI-FINALS
C'more 0-11 Mayobridge 2-07
The Ulster Council
of the GAA will carry out an investigation
after a referee was struck in the
face at a club semi-final in Belfast.
A spectator came on to the Casement
Park pitch after Mayobridge's win
over Carrickmore and struck Cavan
official Martin Brady in the face.
Brady was shaken
but not seriously hurt in the incident.
Ulster Council secretary
Danny Murphy was at the match and
it is certain the body will carry
out an inquiry.
"The Ulster
Council will deal with any incident
arising within the rules of the Association,"
said Murphy.
The spectator appeared
to come from the section of the ground
where Carrickmore fans were gathered.
Match stewards intervened
to apprehend the spectator but an
official told BBC Sport that they
were forced to release the alleged
perpetrator "as there was a real
danger that the situation was going
to turn nasty".
No members of our
playing squad, none of their mentors
nor any of the club's committee were
involved
Carrickmore statement
"The crowd was
starting to gather around and there
was a potential for further trouble
so we let him go but our stewards
will be able to identify the person
in question," the official added.
Carrickmore club
officials held an emergency meeting
on Sunday night to discuss the matter
and then issued a statement that "condemned
without reservation any interference
with any match official".
The statement said
that "no members of our playing
squad, none of their mentors nor any
of the club's committee were involved
in the incident".
Carrickmore said
they would give full co-operation
to any Ulster Council investigation.
The Tyrone club lost
the game by two points on a 2-07 to
0-11 scoreline.
Carrickmore were
annoyed at being forced to play without
forward Gabriel McCallan.
McCallan was sent
off in the Ulster Club win over Derrygonnelly
and the Ulster Council informed them
late last week that he would not be
allowed to play against Mayobridge
because of an ongoing investigation.
However, Carrickmore
manager Dominic Corrigan said that
McCallan had served a month's ban
and should have been allowed to play.
"Without getting
a hearing, Gabriel McCallan was found
guilty," said Corrigan.
