Ireland international gets nine-month ban for assaulting referee

He was also fined £75.

Rugby League player and former Ireland international Danny Bridge has been banned for nine months for assaulting a referee.

The 25-year-old Oldham forward was charged by the Rugby Football League's match review panel with a grade F offence following the incident in the 74th minute of Oldham's 15-8 Betfred League 1 defeat at Keighley earlier this month.

.@Roughyeds player Danny Bridge has been banned for nine months and fined £75 for this assault on a match official in a game against @Cougarmania a fortnight ago. #rugbyleague pic.twitter.com/Pyp3ToQeMY

— Serious About Rugby League (@SeriousAboutRL) July 24, 2018

It is believed Bridge, who has also played for Warrington, Featherstone, Bradford, Rochdale and Swinton, ran in to referee Billy Pearson who then fell to the ground.

A grade F charge, which is at the high end of the disciplinary tariff, carries a suspension of at least eight matches or a specific period of suspension and an independent disciplinary panel opted to impose a nine-month ban.

Bridge, who pleaded guilty when he appeared at a hearing in Leeds on Tuesday evening, was also fined £75.

PA