By Eoghan Dalton
A man has received a suspended jail sentence and been fined €2,000 for "kicking and punching" another man on the sideline of an U14 camogie match.
Michael Walsh, aged 51, from Ashbourne House, Portlaw, pleaded guilty to Section 3 Assault Causing Harm on Tramore Camogie mentor, Thomas Corkery, aged in his 40s, during a clash between Tramore and Portlaw on 27 August 2020.
Defence solicitor, Ken Cunningham, told Waterford District Court that the incident came about after the adults on the Tramore side hurled "vicious abuse" at a Portlaw player, calling her a "bitch, tramp and scum".
"These were U14 players so they would have been 13 years old at the time," he read from a match report by GAA officials, written at the time.
The court heard that the incident took place at a championship match at the GAA grounds in Tramore, and that the accused had crossed over to the opposing team's side of the pitch where he got involved in a "tussle" with the victim.
Mr Walsh was accused of "punching and kicking" him and then "kicking (Mr Corkery) while he lay on the ground".
Mr Walsh was arrested at the scene and was charged by gardaí at a later date.
The match was stopped for five minutes by the referee while a separate coach was also sent off.
A member of the public called gardaí who responded.
Tramore native, Cunningham, told the court that Tramore were over ten points ahead at the time and ran out winners in a one-sided affair: "Tramore effectively hockied Portlaw, to use that term, quite convincingly."
Reports from the referee and umpire were both read out in court, with the referee noting that following the match "abusive and threatening language" was used, which he said was "unacceptable at any age level".
Mr Cunningham said the umpire felt so strongly that he also submitted a match report to the GAA, telling them that "bitch, tramp and scum were definitely some of the words that were used".
The umpire also wrote that he was "shocked at what I had witnessed".
"There is no place for this in our sport," he said.
The accused is "embarrassed, ashamed and genuinely remorseful" for his behaviour, the court heard.
An apology was offered to the injured man through a third party, the defence said, while Mr Cunningham rejected a claim in the victim impact statement that no apology had been received.
Mr Cunningham said the accused has had a lifelong commitment to underage sport and provided character references from club chairman, Paudie Coffey, and parents of U14 sides past and present.
Mr Walsh was described as a married father-of-one who is self-employed. He has no previous convictions.
Judge's remarks
Judge Staunton said from his past experience attending underage matches for his own children, he has found in all sports that some parents "completely lose the run of themselves in what they say" while on the sidelines.
"It can be very depressing in terms of what they see as support for their team," he said.
However he said it is "generally parents not coaches" who resort to that behaviour, and described Mr Walsh's actions as "unedifying".
"His conduct was inexcusable," he said.
He handed down a three month jail sentence, which will be suspended for six months, with a €2,000 fine on top, which must be paid within six months.
Victim impact stat
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