Galway probe after minor footballer 'assault'!

magicface1

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/galway-probe-after-minor-footballer-assault-125822.html

AN investigation is underway in Galway after a minor footballer was allegedly assaulted by an adult supporter during a match.

The game between St James from Galway city and Micheal Breathnachs from Inverin in Connemara was disrupted following the incident.

But the West Board MFC game continued following the incident with St James winning by 4-11 to 3-4 in a match which was played at Cappagh in Knocknacarra.

Galway Football Board is refusing to comment on the incident until they study the referee’s report.

The St James player was confronted by the spectator who came on to the field during the second-half of the game. The man who ran on to the pitch is believed to be the father of a teenager who was playing the match. The player continued on after the incident.

A spokesperson for Galway Football Board said that the matter was being looked into.

"We will not be making any comment until we see the referee’s report," said the spokesperson.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Thursday, July 22, 2010

I heard about this disgraceful scene this morning and i feel the need to comment on it. A St. James's minor player was assaulted by a Michael Breathnachs's adult fan in Minor A Championship. This sort of behaviour is creeping into our game and it's high time these sort of idiots should be named and shamed and banned from attending GAA matches for a good few years.

Diabhal Beag

Terrible to hear. Not like the people of Inverin to do something like that. One bad egg I'd say.

An Citeog

Seeing as there's an investigation underway, please don't post anything prejudicial that you may have seen or heard unless it's in the public domain ie. the mainstream media.

keane2097

I have only heard about this incident OTT, so I'm just going to say this as a general statement, not directly a commentary on this particular incident.

The things that are described as "assaults" when it's an adult confronting a minor can often times be extremely overblown.

Also, minors are well able to be absolutely filthy at times. I would be very hesitant to lay into a father who saw his own son being assaulted by an opposition player and reacted by attempting to come to the aid of his son.

That's just instinct.

aidan24326

Since the player carried on playing after the alleged incident, it can't have been that serious. Sounds like it's being overblown. I mean was it really worthy of national news coverage? The media seem more keen than ever to latch onto any story that brings negative coverage of the GAA.

keane2097

aidan24326 wrote: »

Since the player carried on playing after the alleged incident, it can't have been that serious. Sounds like it's being overblown. I mean was it really worthy of national news coverage? The media seem more keen than ever to latch onto any story that brings negative coverage of the GAA.

+1

Good post.

aDeener

keane2097 wrote: »

I have only heard about this incident OTT, so I'm just going to say this as a general statement, not directly a commentary on this particular incident.

The things that are described as "assaults" when it's an adult confronting a minor can often times be extremely overblown.

Also, minors are well able to be absolutely filthy at times. I would be very hesitant to lay into a father who saw his own son being assaulted by an opposition player and reacted by attempting to come to the aid of his son.

That's just instinct.

well said

Diabhal Beag

I've met the apparent "assaulter" and he is a good man. I doubt this deserves national coverage (slow news day). If somebody saw their child in distress you want to defend them.

aDeener

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I've met the apparent "assaulter" and he is a good man. I doubt this deserves national coverage (slow news day). If somebody saw their child in distress you want to defend them.

yeah, i know if i was a minor and some thug attacked me on the pitch and saw my aul buck running in, id be proud of him. minors aren't little kids.

Pocaide

No matter how minor the assault was(if that is the case) no supporter should enter the field of play I am a Gaa man and I think this a problem which we have to confront we rarely if ever see this in soccer or rugby in this country but in my opinion we really do have a problem with this in the Gaa

Bluetonic

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

I've met the apparent "assaulter" and he is a good man. I doubt this deserves national coverage (slow news day). If somebody saw their child in distress you want to defend them.

If their child was in true distress fair enough. We however don't know the full story, and you obviously have a biased point of view.

If my child was in distress I would think I'd be more concerned with attending to my child rather than confronting perpetrator.

Away from this incident the problem we're seeing in general is that people think it's ok to confront someone on a field of play when they feel they've, their kin or their team have been wronged. It's simply not and it needs to be stamped out. These minor incidents potentially can serve to lay the foundations for people to take things into their own hands when things get more serious. We need to understand that we can't serve our own justice on the field.

Just my opinion on the matter.

Diabhal Beag

Pocaide wrote: »

No matter how minor the assault was(if that is the case) no supporter should enter the field of play I am a Gaa man and I think this a problem which we have to confront we rarely if ever see this in soccer or rugby in this country but in my opinion we really do have a problem with this in the Gaa

Exactly. I didn't say he should have gone on the pitch but I can see why he did.

Clemon

To punch a player in the face knocking him to the ground withthe force cannot be justified. The GAA have to start acting on incidents like theese or else they will continue to happen.