Unseemly row erupts at Minor hurling game

A MELEE which broke out at an under-age hurling match is now expected to end up before the courts.

The unseemly row which erupted at Sunday’s Minor shield semi-final in Ferns is understood to have involved some of the players and spectators from both the home team, Ferns St. Aidan’s, and the visitors, Shamrocks from Enniscorthy.

Sources say that the trouble began when referee Joe Kelly, a retired guard, handed out a straight red card to a member of the Shamrocks team minutes before the end of the match.

A row then broke out between the two teams with supporters from both sides becoming embroiled in the heated exchanges. Mr Kelly was forced to abandon the match before blowing the final whistle.

A spokesperson from Wexford Park confirmed it was aware of the incident but said that while gardai were not called to the scene on Sunday, they understand that a complaint was later made at a local garda station with one player reported to have received a broken nose.

‘We are in the middle of a disciplinary meeting here at the minute trying to decide what action to take.

‘But it appears that there will be a criminal case now proceeding with one player reported to have suffered a broken nose so we really can’t do anything until that’s done,’ the spokesperson said.

‘The referee has submitted a preliminary report and we expect to have an official report soon, but until the criminal case is sorted I don’t think we can investigate it fully.’

Sunday’s match between the neighbouring teams was a semi-final clash but as the match was abandoned no result can be recorded.

A spokesperson said that a rematch between the pair is looking very unlikely and the disciplinary committee is largely in favour of eliminating both teams from the championships.

John Hendrick, Chairman of the Shamrocks club, said he is currently away for a few days but said he was aware that there was ‘some sort of incident’ at the match.

He said that as far as he understood the matter is being investigated by Coiste na nOg.

Club Secretary Ciarán Ruth was also not at the match on Sunday but said that he had been contacted by Marion Doyle, under-age administrator with Wexford G.A.A. ‘I was talking to Marion and she said that we would probably be called to a meeting.

‘We will be going down to give our side but I don’t know a lot of details about what happened at the moment.’

In a statement Patrick Doyle, Chairman of the Ferns St. Aidan’s club said: ‘ Ferns St. Aidan’s GAA club trusts that the investigation that follows yesterday’s scenes will determine the truth about the series of events that led to the match being abandoned.

‘We will co-operate fully with the investigation and we also trust that its conclusions will lead to appropriate sanctions being taken against the instigators of yesterday’s events.

‘We have no further comment to make at this time.’