GAA club denies adult hit U-16 player during match

A GAA club has denied that any of its mentors or spectators struck an opposition player during an U-16 match which had to be abandoned due to violence.

Passage West GAA Club said it will severely discipline some of its players who were involved in fighting during a recent football match against Mitchelstown.

The match was abandoned after a Mitchelstown player and a Passage West mentor suffered broken noses after being punched.

A Passage West GAA Club spokesman said that contrary to an earlier report, the Mitchelstown player who sustained the broken nose wasn’t struck by a spectator or mentor.

“We absolutely deny that any Passage adult, mentor or spectator, at any time, struck any Mitchelstown player,” the spokesman said.

He said if that had been the case the club would have insisted that person be disciplined by the county board or the club.

The club spokesman went on to say that one of its mentors, Paul Maxwell, got his broken nose after he tried to restrain players who had been fighting on the pitch.

Mr Maxwell couldn’t identify the Mitchelstown player who struck him.

The club said between five to seven players from each side had nothing to do with the fighting that broke out at the game and remain blameless.

However, Passage West said that during a melee after half-time, one of their players was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked in the face by a Mitchelstown player. The club have identified that player by the number on his jersey.

“The Passage West players who were involved will be disciplined severely by our club.

“We do not and will not stand over such conduct. It does not belong to our club,” the Passage West spokesman said.

He added that when the match was abandoned, Passage West mentor Thomas Lester approached the Mitchelstown players, mentors and supporters, and in a civil and firm manner criticised the players on both sides who were involved in fighting and said they were a disgrace to their respective clubs.

The Passage West spokesman said no objections were made to Mr Lester’s comments.

Bord na Óg are dealing with the matter after being sent the referee’s report.

A spokesman for Mitchelstown GAA Club said they were hoping that Bord na Óg would deal with the matter as soon as possible. “We will co-operate fully with their findings,” the spokesman said.