'Profound shock and disappointment' after referee injured following U15 football game

THE CLARE GAA chairman has expressed “profound shock and disappointment” at an incident where a referee sustained injuries after an U15 football game.

In video footage which has been widely circulated online, referee John O’Connell appears on the ground, surrounded by people, after a game between Kilrush and Lissycasey in Kilrush on Monday night.

Gardaí have confirmed to The 42 that investigations “are ongoing” following the fracas. A male youth also sustained injuries, according to the Gardaí.

“It was with profound shock and disappointment that we learned of the altercation that occurred at the conclusion of the above underage fixture last evening,” Clare chairman Kieran Keating said in a statement released to The 42.

“We have a great cohort of referees in both codes in our county and over the past number of years we have driven the message of ‘Respect for the Referee’, with the aim of retaining and recruiting the increasing number of referees we need for our growing schedule of games,” Keating said.

Keating said the reports of this incident represented “a bitter step backwards”.

He added: “We have had many years without any such incident and it is very disheartening to all of us who love our games that this would happen at an underage game, or any game, in Clare in 2026.

Sanction

“Whilst we await the formal report on the game and the incident, we have been in contact with our referee John O’Connell and will assist him in dealing with the matter. There were many witnesses to the incident and we sincerely thank those who came to his immediate assistance at the time.

“I will be careful here to not prejudice the outcome of the disciplinary process that will swiftly follow the receipt of his report, but can point to the minimum sanction laid out under Rule 7.2.c of the rulebook… Category Va – Any type of assault on a Referee, a Score Umpire, Line Umpire or Sideline Official…. Penalties: (1) Minimum: 96 weeks Suspension, with offender’s Team liable to Disqualification, where appropriate; …. and I would further note that such minimum sanction is automatically doubled for an underage game.

“Those sanctions are harsh and regimented and are so designed to protect our referees and our games, and reflect the utter despondency that we all feel towards any actions of this nature. We wish John a speedy recovery.”

A Garda statement to The 42 read: “Gardaí received a report of incidents of assault that occurred in Kilrush, Co Clare on Monday 29 June at approximately 8:40pm.

“A male in his 50s sustained injuries. A male youth sustained injuries.

“Investigations are ongoing.”