Man fined after attack on former GAA player

A 22-YEAR-OLD man who punched and kicked a former Cork intercounty star in the face, breaking his jaw, has avoided a jail term at Cork District Court.

Noel O’Donovan was convicted yesterday of assault causing harm to opposing player James Masters, 29. The court heard that Masters, who played senior football for Cork between 2005 and last March, had been lining out for Nemo Rangers against Valley Rovers when a melee broke out with just a couple of minutes left on the clock.

The Nemo Rangers man, who is a traffic corps garda based in Bandon, said that O’Donovan had called him a pig during the first half. But things got out of hand when the melee broke out.