Wexford back down in punching furore

WEXFORD officials have decided against making an official complaint about the alleged incident that overshadowed their defeat to Dublin in the O’Byrne Cup last weekend.

Corner-back Colm Morris claimed after the game that he had been punched by someone later identified to him as a member of Dublin’s backroom team during the second half of the game in Coolock on Dublin’s northside.

Wexford county chairman Sean Quirke was visibly angered when quizzed about the matter after the match and promised that the county executive would look into the matter.

However, at a meeting of the Wexford Management Committee on Wednesday night, it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Leinster Council.

“An incident in the second-half of the game between Wexford and Dublin is referred to in the referee’s report,” read a statement issued by Wexford.

“The matter now rests with Comhairle Laighean.”

Wexford were expecting referee Gabriel McKenny’s report to describe the incident in some detail. At the time, an umpire behind the Wexford goal brought an off-the-ball incident to the match officials’ attention but the Louth referee took no disciplinary action at the time.

His official match report was equally inconclusive, containing only a vague reference to what had happened, with no names of any of the persons involved being mentioned.

The matter is not yet fully closed, however, as the Leinster Council has written to both counties asking for their version of the events.

With Wexford reluctant to take the matter any further though it appears that a full investigation of the incident is now unlikely.