Football semi-final has to be abandoned

August 1980

The curtain raiser to what should have been a very attractive double bill at Bellefield on Sunday last, the SFC semi-final between Castletown (holders) and St. Fintan’s, ended abruptly in what was the 34th minute of the first half when Bannow/Ballymitty referee Dermot Roche was forced to call a premature halt to the proceedings.

Reaons for the abandonment was the refusal of the Castletown players to get on with the game when repeatedly asked to do so by the referee. It was quite an extraordinary and bizarre ending to the tamest of semi-finals which had been incident-free and excitement-free up to this point.

The first hint of trouble came when Castletown’s Tommy Masterson disputed the awarding of a free to St. Fintan’s. As sharpshooter Paddy Kinsella placed the ball, Masterson, who was quite annoyed at the decision, seemed to say something to the referee. The player was duly booked, and then quite amazingly sent to the line - presumably for adding further to his verbal infringement.

As Castletown players looked on in disbelief, St. Fintan’s’ John Wright was sent crashing to the floor behind the referee’s back. The officaily consulted with umpires and Ger Mythen was immediately spoken to and presumably ordered off also.

The referee was then surrounded by Castletown players and officials and was jostled and pushed about. One aggrieved player grabbed the referee’s notebook and threw it on the pitch.

All the time, the official tried to place the ball for the original free to be taken, but each time he did so, it was kicked away by a Castletown player. The referee was then seen to ask Castletown if they wished to continue the game, and when the arguments continued, he abandoned the game.

Also during the argument, a Castletown mentor empted a water bottle onto photographer Paddy Murphy, destroying his camera and lens.