Croker love birds fined €500 each

A man who played underage GAA with Douglas ended up centre–field in Croke Park — but was fined €500 for his efforts.

Sources close to Douglas GAA Club today confirmed that the Cork student caught by gardaí in a clinch with his girlfriend on the national playing field, had played with them as a teenager.

“He played for Douglas when he was 15/16 years of age,” said one source. “He played a few games and then he drifted.”

John Clarke, aged 24, from Woodview, Pinecroft, Douglas and his girlfriend Sinéad Duffy, aged 23, of Clonliffe Road in Dublin, appeared in court yesterday charged with trespassing.

The love birds were hoping for a match made in heaven when they climbed into Croke Park at 2am on September 7 — the eve of the All–Ireland Hurling Final.

But the field of dreams soon turned into a nightmare for the couple who were discovered by gardaí, arrested and charged with trespassing.

Mr Clarke appeared holding hands with his girlfriend yesterday at Dublin District Court, where they pleaded guilty to the charges.

Garda Sharon Shaughnessy told the court yesterday that the couple entered the pitch by climbing over a wall.

They found Mr Clarke in the middle of the field, lying next to his girlfriend, who they described as being ‘in a state of undress.’

The pair’s solicitor said Mr Clarke and Ms Duffy were deeply embarrassed by the whole incident.. Gardaí accepted they had no intent to damage or steal anything and they had apologised for their actions.

Quoted in a Dublin newspaper, his girlfriend admitted it was all her idea. But John said he agreed straight away and thought it was a great idea.

“There was courting going on. I had my top off when the gardaí came along,” said Sinéad, a Trinity student.

But the ‘Lark in the Park’ has earned the Leesider a new nickname. His friends in Dublin used to call him ‘Corky’ — but they have re–christened him ‘Crokey’.

Speaking from the family home in Douglas today, John’s mother said: “He is not at home, he is up in Dublin. I don’t want to comment on that.”

Judge James Scally read their references and said he was impressed that both individuals were involved in community work. Ms Duffy worked with street children in Nairobi.

He said: “They have pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and both seem to be people concerned with the less well–off in society. I take it that this was a one–off, an aberration.”

He ordered them to pay €500 each to Fr Peter McVerry’s charity for homeless boys and remanded them on continuing bail to December 11 for payment of the money.