More Thuggery on the GAA field

[heffo]

Assault case coming up shortly too in relation to a broken jaw suffered in a Dublin Division 1 club game last year.

Prelim hearing has already been before the courts.

[Shamrock Shore]

Would that be brother of Dub player and a former Longford county player?

[heffo]

Would that be brother of Dub player and a former Longford county player?

Thats the one

[nrico2006]

RICHARD MCCULLEN – 08 FEBRUARY 2013

A young Gaelic footballer has been convicted of assaulting an opponent whose jaw was broken in three places during a junior club match in Co Meath.

Kenneth Darby (23), of Ardnamullan, Enfield, had denied assaulting Brian Smith (28) at Clonard GAA grounds on August 28, 2011.

Darby was playing for Clonard GFC and Mr Smith was playing for St Mary's Donore at the time, Trim Circuit Court heard.

Mr Smith told the court that after 25 minutes of play he had been switched to mark the other team's number 13 – a player of medium build and with red hair – and within minutes he was struck on the left side of his jaw.

He said he was forced to leave the field as he was bleeding from the mouth and dazed.

His jaw had been pushed over and his teeth were not lining up, he said. He later required surgery at a hospital in Dublin.

Mr Smith told the court there had been "no pulling, dragging or verbal altercation" between the two players before the incident and he could not have been struck by anyone else as there had been no other players near them at the time.

Darby denied striking the other player.

"I have never raised my hand to anyone and never will," he said, adding that while he had probably been wearing the number 13 jersey on the day, he could have been wearing number 15. Cross-examined by prosecuting counsel Carl Hanahoe, he said he remembered his marker being switched but did not know who he was.

He said he had only become aware during the second half that one of the other team had been brought to hospital but did not know it was his marker.

Joe Reynolds, a water carrier for St Mary's, said he had seen the incident and there had been no other players in the vicinity at the time.

"Number 13 struck Brian Smith to the left side of the jaw. It was like a left hook or a punch," he said.

Marcus Morrison, the assistant manager of St Mary's, said he had seen the players running side by side, looked away for a second or two and when he looked back he saw Mr Smith bending down holding his jaw while Darby jogged away

Just after reading a different article on your man Darby yesterday.

[Jinxy]

Yeah, I read the same article.