Limerick Man banned for hugging Wayne Rooney

keith_d99

The fan that gave Rooney a kiss and cuddle yesterday after the goal has been
banned by the Scottish courts from football grounds for 2 years and fined
400 pounds. Harsh, to put it mildly.

*A Sheriff has handed out a two-year attendance ban to a Manchester United
fan who ran on the pitch at Ibrox to hug Wayne Rooney.*

Irishman Ian O'Donoghue has been banned from attending football games for 24
months and was fined £400 after invading the pitch at Wednesday night's
Champions League match.

The 23-year-old ran on to the pitch after the striker scored a penalty to
win the match 1-0 against Rangers in the last few minutes. The goal put paid
to Rangers’ hopes of advancing to the Champions League knockout stages.

He was seen hugging and cheering along with Rooney and other Manchester
United players before being arrested as he made his way back to the stand.

O'Donoghue, of Limerick, Ireland, appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court the day
after the match and admitted breaching the peace by running on to the pitch
at the Edmiston Road stand on Wednesday November 24.

Prosecutor Michelle Molly told the court that O'Donoghue ran on to the
sidelines at around 9.30pm.

She said: "The accused ran on to the pitch to celebrate a goal by Manchester
United in the north-west side of the stand.

"As he made his way back to the stand, stewards and police officers became
involved and he was thereafter taken to Ibrox Police Office.

"He was cautioned and charged and made no reply."

Defence lawyer Tony McGlennan told the court that O'Donoghue is a Manchester
United fan from the Republic of Ireland and had travelled to Glasgow that
day for the match.

Mr McGlennan added: "During the course of the day he had been drinking but
he maintains that he didn't consider himself drunk.

"Late in the game a penalty was awarded and that penalty was successfully
executed and he ran on to the pitch and congratulated the player who had
scored.

"His only explanation is that he was caught up in the exuberance of the
moment but he accepts that that is obviously no excuse.

"He's aware that friends and relatives back home in Ireland have seen what
he did and he's expecting a less than warm welcome when he returns home."

Sheriff Shirley Foran banned O'Donoghue from all football matches for two
years and ordered him to pay his fine at a rate of £25 per week.

shg101

Idiot, IMO.

ManFromAtlantis

worth the fine tho.

d.anthony

keith_d99 wrote: »

Harsh, to put it mildly.

No it's not. He ran on to the field of play which will cost the club a fine and is a security risk. He's an idiot and the ban is just.

tommylimerick

he is expectin a cool reception from family and friends back home
what that about??
you only live once i reckon

ManFromAtlantis

tommylimerick wrote: »

he is expectin a cool reception from family and friends back home
what that about??
you only live once i reckon

agree. ffs . they'll be havin a laugh.

keane2097

People love to call other people idots don't they?

I think what he did was class, once in a lifetime thing. Hope he enjoyed it.

Brian010

Rooney is on 200k a week. He should pay the fine lol !

Jofspring

It will cost the club a minimal fine to the likes of Rangers.

"He's aware that friends and relatives back home in Ireland have seen what
he did and he's expecting a less than warm welcome when he returns home."

Ya right, he'll be a legend.

Does anyone actually think he cares that he has been banned from football grounds for two years. How often was he going to go to football grounds like Ibrox.

Kess73

Jofspring wrote: »

It will cost the club a minimal fine to the likes of Rangers.



Ya right, he'll be a legend.

Does anyone actually think he cares that he has been banned from football grounds for two years. How often was he going to go to football grounds like Ibrox.

From what I gather he is banned from any British ground and it also puts him on the banned list for international games. So if he wants to go to Old Trafford for a game he cannot, and the same goes for if he went to Ireland games.

Jofspring

Still don't think it would bother him. I wouldn't think he is over at matches every weekend. He would definitely get into International games also. There is no way every steward in the Aviva is going to remember his face. Very hard to enforce that.

Kess73

Jofspring wrote: »

Still don't think it would bother him. I wouldn't think he is over at matches every weekend. He would definitely get into International games also. There is no way every steward in the Aviva is going to remember his face. Very hard to enforce that.

Oh I don't think it will bother the guy at all. He has had his moment at this stage, and if he ever wants to recreate the moment on a far lesser scale without the cost of leaving the city, then he could also start running onto the pitch at Munster games when Munster score a winning try.

Grumpypants

So he got banned from Scottish football for two years.

Is that a punishment or a prize.

d.anthony

Grumpypants wrote: »

So he got banned from Scottish football for two years.

Is that a punishment or a prize.

At least we Scots support teams in our own league:D

If all the Irish supporters of Premiership clubs put half as much effort into supporting LOI clubs then maybe that league wouldn't be as sh!te as it is.

MyKeyG

d.anthony wrote: »

At least we Scots support teams in our own league:D

If all the Irish supporters of Premiership clubs put half as much effort into supporting LOI clubs then maybe that league wouldn't be as sh!te as it is.

Speaking as an avid Bohemians AND Man Utd fan it's nothing got to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. GAA is the number one sport in this country starting from Schools all the way up. We weren't even allowed to play Soccer in my primary school, in secondary school we got jerseys but had to supply our own shorts and socks. The hurling team got full game gear, tracksuits and gear bags with the school crest.

It's convenient for people to lay the blame at the feet of the Irish people who choose to support English clubs. The fact of the matter is that our culture and preference to Gaelic sports (which don't get me wrong is understandable) stifles any genuine development in LOI.

osarusan

MyKeyG wrote: »

Speaking as an avid Bohemians AND Man Utd fan it's nothing got to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. GAA is the number one sport in this country starting from Schools all the way up. We weren't even allowed to play Soccer in my primary school, in secondary school we got jerseys but had to supply our own shorts and socks. The hurling team got full game gear, tracksuits and gear bags with the school crest.

It's convenient for people to lay the blame at the feet of the Irish people who choose to support English clubs. The fact of the matter is that our culture and preference to Gaelic sports (which don't get me wrong is understandable) stifles any genuine development in LOI.

Speaking as an avid Limerick FC supporter, I disagree completely.

It has everything to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. If our culture and preference for Gaelic sports was the issue, half the country wouldn't support EPL teams. One way that the GAA has influenced things is that it leads people to have the mentality of 'a few big games a year', which also suits rugby in its current format, but the idea of supporting a team for 30/36 games a season seems foreign to us.

There are many reasons why the development of LOI is being stifled, but the preference of many people to support a team in a different country over one which in many cases is in their own town or city is certainly a reason.

MyKeyG

osarusan wrote: »

Speaking as an avid Limerick FC supporter, I disagree completely.

It has everything to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. If our culture and preference for Gaelic sports was the issue, half the country wouldn't support EPL teams. One way that the GAA has influenced things is that it leads people to have the mentality of 'a few big games a year', which also suits rugby in its current format, but the idea of supporting a team for 30/36 games a season seems foreign to us.

There are many reasons why the development of LOI is being stifled, but the preference of many people to support a team in a different country over one which in many cases is in their own town or city is certainly a reason.

Yes but the amount of actual genuine soccer supporters in Ireland is a lot less than would seem. I often wondered how many 'genuine' soccer supporters swap Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Limerick FC or Bohs for their county jerseys on all Ireland final day or if they truly care. Are they real soccer fans? How many actually exist in this country.

In any case my point is that soccer plays third fiddle in this country, that's why LOI is a load of ****e. People don't swap jerseys for ones in other countries but for those in other sports.

Kess73

MyKeyG wrote: »

Yes but the amount of actual genuine soccer supporters in Ireland is a lot less than would seem. I often wondered how many 'genuine' soccer supporters swap Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Limerick FC or Bohs for their county jerseys on all Ireland final day or if they truly care. Are they real soccer fans? How many actually exist in this country.

In any case my point is that soccer plays third fiddle in this country, that's why LOI is a load of ****e. People don't swap jerseys for ones in other countries but for those in other sports.

What is a real "soccer supporter"? Not a dig, but a genuine question as to what you regard as one.

Does a person have to follow only one sport to be a real supporter in your eyes or can they support more than one sport equally?


Does the same apply for GAA supporters or rugby supporters that turn up in a pub to watch the FA cup final wearing the top of one of the teams in that final or the GAA/rugby supporters that go to England or other countries to see Premierships games etc.

Can a person not enjoy a number of sports and have a passion for them all? I think that a person can, and that people do.

rf29

I reckon he should be ashamed of himself, for not giving Kenny Miller a couple of slaps when he had the chance

PARKHEAD67

shg101 wrote: »

Idiot, IMO.

Hero IMO . GIRFUY HUN Rangers bassas. Nice little touch by Wayne to announce that hes a Celtic man after it too.Hes been amongst the celtic fans at an OF game on a couple of occasions. OK your mans not really a hero but he was probably bladdered. Not like he killed someone.

MyKeyG

Kess73 wrote: »

What is a real "soccer supporter"? Not a dig, but a genuine question as to what you regard as one.

Does a person have to follow only one sport to be a real supporter in your eyes or can they support more than one sport equally?


Does the same apply for GAA supporters or rugby supporters that turn up in a pub to watch the FA cup final wearing the top of one of the teams in that final or the GAA/rugby supporters that go to England or other countries to see Premierships games etc.

Can a person not enjoy a number of sports and have a passion for them all? I think that a person can, and that people do.

You're ignoring the context to make your own point. I didn't say people can't support multiple sports. I was merely pointing out that those who claim to be firm fans of one sport often turn in their colours when it suits them for another. The debate is the imbalance of commitment to sports in this country leading to one sport lagging behind another which is why LOI falters not because people choose Man Utd over Galway United.

PARKHEAD67

rf29 wrote: »

I reckon he should be ashamed of himself, for not giving Kenny Miller a couple of slaps when he had the chance

True dat:). For having the orangest of orange heads. He sould be in an ad for fanta.

PARKHEAD67

MyKeyG wrote: »

Ah the classic case of someone ignoring the context to make an obtuse point. I didn't say people can't support multiple sports. I was merely pointing out that those who claim to be firm fans of one sport often turn in their colours when it suits them for another. And you can take that as a dig.

I agree 100%. Have an avid Gaa man workin with me.All this foreign sports ****e when we talk soccer. But when Munster play he suddenly becomes the greatest, most knowledgeable rugby man of all time. The irony is lost on him. And to make matters worse, I know more about rugby than him. (and probably gaa too since he bull****s so much)

gustavo

MyKeyG wrote: »

.

In any case my point is that soccer plays third fiddle in this country, that's why LOI is a load of ****e. .

Attitudes like that don't help either

SupraSonic_26

who cares if he did it well done to him like whoppdie doo he got caught up in the moment so what plenty of other people have done it and its forgotten about in a few weeks.

Bosco boy

It's not the first time money changed hands after someone kissed Rooney!!!!!

Kess73

MyKeyG wrote: »

Ah the classic case of someone ignoring the context to make an obtuse point. I didn't say people can't support multiple sports. I was merely pointing out that those who claim to be firm fans of one sport often turn in their colours when it suits them for another. And you can take that as a dig.

Ahh the classic case of just not being clever enough to realise you are not clever enough. Fair enough if you are ignorant enough to have a dig at me when I was not doing the same to you.

I was asking you a question and I was being genuine about it.

You say you have no problem with people supporting multiple sports, but then claim that you were pointing out that people are firm fans of one sport and then become firm fans of another when it suits them. So what? You claim to be an avid Bohs fan, but no doubt you turn in their colours when you are being the avid Man Utd fan you also claim to by watching United on tv.

I guess it must be ok for you as a "avid" Bohs fan to turn in that top for when you decide to turn up as an "avid" Man Utd fan, but it is only no ok when people do so for different sports.



Thanks for being unable to answer me as to what you regarded as a real soccer fan. You were probably having a moment of crisis when I asked the question as you could not decide which top to pull on as you are such an avid fan.

colly10

tommylimerick wrote: »

he is expectin a cool reception from family and friends back home
what that about??
you only live once i reckon

That was just a speech for the courts

colly10

keane2097 wrote: »

People love to call other people idots don't they?

I think what he did was class, once in a lifetime thing. Hope he enjoyed it.

If I was a footballer I wouldn't want nutjobs running out of the crowd to be anywhere near me. He could just as easily give him a hug and put a knife in his chest. There's more that a few fruitcakes at games and they should be kept off the pitch.

The ban and fine was more than fair

colly10

osarusan wrote: »

Speaking as an avid Limerick FC supporter, I disagree completely.

It has everything to do with the commitment of Irish soccer fans. If our culture and preference for Gaelic sports was the issue, half the country wouldn't support EPL teams. One way that the GAA has influenced things is that it leads people to have the mentality of 'a few big games a year', which also suits rugby in its current format, but the idea of supporting a team for 30/36 games a season seems foreign to us.

There are many reasons why the development of LOI is being stifled, but the preference of many people to support a team in a different country over one which in many cases is in their own town or city is certainly a reason.

The quality isn't the same, pretty much none of these guys are good enough to be internationals, it makes sense that people want to watch the best.
Your local team probably play 200m from your house every sunday morning but the reason ye don't bother going round to watch them is cause they're ****e, it's just like that but on a bigger scale. I can't see what the problem is

d.anthony

colly10 wrote: »

The quality isn't the same, pretty much none of these guys are good enough to be internationals, it makes sense that people want to watch the best.
Your local team probably play 200m from your house every sunday morning but the reason ye don't bother going round to watch them is cause they're ****e, it's just like that but on a bigger scale. I can't see what the problem is

I do. It's glory hunting.

If fans actually went to LOI games, there would be more money going to the teams which in turn raises the standard of play.