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Referee seriously injured in alleged assault after match in Offaly

Gardaí say they are following a definite line of inquiry following an assault on a referee...
Newstalk
Newstalk

07.50 12 Nov 2018


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Referee seriously injured in a...

Referee seriously injured in alleged assault after match in Offaly

Newstalk
Newstalk

07.50 12 Nov 2018


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Gardaí say they are following a definite line of inquiry following an assault on a referee during a football match on Sunday.

Daniel Sweeney, aged in his 50s, reportedly suffered serious injuries to his jaw, cheekbone and nose in the incident in the town of Horseleap.

The altercation happened after a match between Horseleap FC and Mullingar Town.

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Gardaí were called to the scene just before 1.00pm. Mr Sweeney was taken by ambulance to Tullamore Hospital where he was treated for his injuries.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

He was moved to a Dublin hospital for treatment on Monday morning.

Sports Minister Shane Ross has said any such violence is unacceptable.

"Anything like that happening is obviously really, really unacceptable.

"I don't want to make any comment on the incident, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to do so.

"But I hate to see any incidents of that sort, and anybody injured is just unacceptable."

The Irish Soccer Referees Society are to meet with the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) on Thursday to discuss the assault.

On Newstalk Breakfast Paul Malone, secretary of the referee's Midland's Branch, said he receiving more treatment.

"He has a lot of facial injuries," he said.

"He is in St James's Hospital this morning to get more checks on his cheekbone and jaw.

"Then he is heading to the eye and ear for a check on his eye.

"The Garda Síochána are investigating it at the moment." 

No arrests have been made and the Garda inquiry is ongoing.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Tullamore Garda Station.

Additional reporting: Shane Beatty and Jack Quann 


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