Man who sued GAA club over soccer injury on Astro Turf pitch withdraws case
A MAN who sued after he claimed he injured his knee while playing a friendly soccer game on an Astro Turf pitch has withdrawn his case.
Sean Doyle (37) had claimed he fell over and passed out after he hit an alleged hump or divot on the surface as he went for a ball during an eighta-side game.
He had sued Wicklow County GAA Ltd and Arklow Geraldines Ballymoney GAA as a result of the accident on February 23, 2010.
He claimed in the High Court he had been left with ongoing problems to one of his knees. Mr Doyle who lives in Courtown, Co Wexford, was one of a group of players who rented out the GAA Astro Turf pitch at Vale Road, Pearse Park, Arklow, Co Wicklow, for a weekly friendly match.
He had claimed the pitch was allegedly allowed to become or to remain unsafe and there was an alleged failure to properly maintain it. The claims were denied.
The GAA parties contended the pitch was maintained. Two workers daily picked litter from it and it was brushed with a special machine once a week.
Annual maintenance had taken place 10 months before the February 2010 accident. It was further contended there had been no complaints about the condition of the pitch and Mr Doyle’s injury was not caused by the surface.
After the case resumed yesterday afternoon, David Conlan Smyth SC, for Mr Doyle, told Mr Justice Kevin Cross his client was withdrawing the case. Counsel said there was to be no order as to costs which means both sides pay their own legal costs.
The judge said it was a case that was extremely difficult for Mr Doyle, who he described as an honest and decent individual who suffered a significant injury.
Divot
In evidence, Mr Doyle said he was wearing proper astro boots. He said the goalkeeper threw out the ball and when he went for it his foot hit a divot and he saw his foot “sticking out the other way”.
He said he passed out and remembered waking up in hospital.
For the first few months he could only walk with a limp and some days he would cry he was in so much pain.
Cross-examined by Michael O Scanaill SC, for the defendants, Mr Doyle agreed he had used the pitch before and every other time there was nothing wrong with the surface.