Player’s scrotum torn during pitch attack

A footballer’s scrotum was torn open during a GAA minor championship match in Co Meath three years ago, a court heard yesterday.

“I was screaming in pain and my shorts were covered in blood,” Shane Ryan told Trim Circuit Court.

Before the court was Darren Morgan, aged 21, from Elm Grove, Rockfield. Kells. He pleaded not guilty to assault causing harm to Mr Ryan from Garristown at Skryne GAA grounds, near Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, on Sep 25, 2009.

Mr Morgan had been playing for Round Towers of Kells, while Mr Ryan had been playing for St Vincent’s from Curraha in the semi-final of the minor county championship.

Mr Ryan told prosecuting counsel Carl Hanahoe one of his teammates made a bad challenge early in the game, leading to a scuffle between players. Mr Morgan had grabbed him and knocked him to the ground.

Later, it was claimed, Mr Morgan had made a grabbing gesture to the player marking Mr Ryan, but that player shook his head, said Mr Ryan.

A short time later, Mr Ryan scored a goal and, following this, he was assaulted by Mr Ryan, the court heard.

“He came up and squared up to me as if he was going to headbutt me but, instead, he grabbed my testicles, squeezed and pulled,” said Mr Ryan.

“He laughed at me. I looked into my shorts and there was no scrotum there. I went down on my hunkers and he went back into his full-back position.”

The court heard Mr Ryan was given first aid in the dressing room, where he suffered a panic attack, before being taken by ambulance to Our Lady’s Hospital in Navan, where his wound was stitched. He was released from hospital after a number of days.

Replying to defence barrister Breffni Gordon, SC, Mr Ryan said he had stood his ground when Mr Morgan confronted him, adding that, after the attack, he was in “excruciating pain”.

Mr Morgan said his client would concede he had put his hands on Mr Ryan and caused him damage, but had not meant to cause him injury.

Gda Shane Dooley gave evidence of taking statements from Mr Morgan, who had claimed any contact between him and Mr Ryan had been within the rules of the game and had been accidental.

He had told Gda Dooley a number of players had gone for the ball but Mr Ryan won it.

Mr Morgan said he had been on his knees and was trying to stop Mr Ryan.

“I grabbed him by the balls. I meant to grab his shorts or jersey,” said Mr Morgan. “I didn’t mean to grab so hard. Then he had his hands on his hips and was making sore faces.”

Mr Morgan said he and his teammates had been asked at half time if they had injured any of their opponents but he stayed silent.

He added that he had been scared when he saw the ambulance.

“I was shitting myself,” he had told gardaí.

He said he got afraid when the incident was in the media and discussed by the GAA County Board.

He denied attempting to headbutt his opponent or sneering at him.