McCarthy suffers minor gash in assault

KERRY footballer Michael McCarthy escaped with only minor injuries after a late night assault in Tralee town centre which occurred on Monday.

McCarthy, who lined out at corner- back in the Kingdom’s historic win over Cork in the Bank of Ireland All- Ireland SFC semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday, suffered superficial wounds in the unprovoked attack according to gardaí in the town.

The Kilcummin native, who won an All-Ireland medal at corner-back with Kerry in 2000, was struck with either a glass or a bottle at approximately 10pm in the small square off Tralee town centre.

He received a minor gash to the side of the head which was bleeding but he did not require or receive hospital attention, a garda spokesperson confirmed last evening.

He was treated by a member of the gardaí in Tralee Garda station shortly afterwards and was able to walk out unaided.

A garda spokesman said they are following a definite line of inquiry into the incident.

The chairman of the Kerry County Board Sean Walsh said McCarthy is showing no ill effects from the nasty affair.

“He will be fine,” Walsh said yesterday.

“There are no problems and no implications from a football perspective. He will be back at training tonight and has not been shaken too much by the incident.

“Luckily, he didn’t even need to get a stitch.”

Walsh also reported a clean bill of health throughout the camp as the squad return to training tonight in preparation for an All-Ireland final meeting with either Dublin or Armagh next month.

Meanwhile, Kerry GAA officials await the outcome of the deliberations of the Games Administration Committee into the incidents which marred the All-Ireland semi-final last Sunday.

“We have no concerns,” the county chairman said. “Tom O’Sullivan was sent off and that was the end of that as far as we are concerned.”

With regards to the plans of the committee to view a video recording of the game, Mr Walsh stressed: “The viewing of video evidence is a matter for the GAC.”