A group of nine Gaelic footballers who clashed with stewards during a disco at a Co Monaghan hotel over two years ago have had charges against them further adjourned at Castleblayney District Court.
The nine were yesterday remanded from a number of previous sittings on charges of assault and public order offences to enable them to pay compensation and have probation reports prepared.
All the accused pleaded guilty at a previous hearing, during which the incident at the Glencarn Hotel, Castleblayney, on July I5th, 2002, was described by a Garda witness as a "mini-riot".
The defendants, all with addresses in Monaghan, were: Francis Caulfield (20), of Carrowhatta, Scotstown; Damien McKenna (22), of Tullylone, Tydavnet; Brendan McCaffrey (28), of Bough, Scotstown; Nicholas Corrigan (25), of Drummons, Scotstown; Christopher McAleer (21), of The Point, Ballinode; Séamus Mullen (29), of Aughaboy, Scotstown; Seán Mullen (27), also of Aughaboy, Scotstown; Declan McCarville, Tydavnet; and Desmond Mallon, Lennaght, Scotstown.
At a previous sitting, a defence lawyer, Ms Michelle Flanagan, said the defendants had raised €16,000 between them to pay compensation to the hotel stewards with whom they were involved in the fracas.
Garda Sgt Paul Carroll, Castleblayney, told the earlier hearing the "mini-riot" developed after the group had been drinking heavily earlier in the day following a GAA match and then went to the disco at the hotel.
He said the trouble erupted when one of the accused men brought a bar-stool out on to the dance floor for a woman who appeared to have become weak.
When told by a steward that such seating was not permitted on the floor, a fracas developed in which several of the accused became involved. It resulted in a number of stewards being punched and kicked.
Garda Sgt Carroll said that in the subsequent investigation, he learned that all the defendants came from highly respectable families and their behaviour on the occasion was totally out of character.
The defence lawyer said some of the defendants held key positions with the local Gaelic football club and were also prominently identified with community activities in their rural parish.
The case was further adjourned yesterday until February 21st next by Judge Flann Brennan after he was told a probation report was not available in respect of one of the accused.
All nine were remanded on continuing bail.