The Co Kildare GAA club that had one of its players sentenced to three months in prison for assaulting a referee declined to make any comment last night.
A Ballyteague official said they did not want to jeopardise the ongoing legal proceedings as their player was going to appeal the sentence to the Circuit Court.
Brian Hyland pleaded guilty at Naas District Court last Wednesday to assaulting referee Fintan Barrett. He was granted bail pending his appeal.
The assault occurred after the final whistle of an Intermediate B final between Rathangan and Ballyteague at Hawkfield outside Newbridge on October 6th.
It arose out of a controversial free which was awarded to Rathangan and resulted in a goal. The referee is said to have suffered bruising to his chest as a result of the assault. The incident was reported to gardaí in Newbridge.
The Two-Mile-House official submitted his report to the county board after the match. Hyland was subsequently given a maximum 96-week ban by the board's disciplinary committee.
At the disciplinary hearing, the player stated that he shouldered and pushed the referee and apologised for his actions. He said that he apologised to Mr Barrett on the night of the incident but that the referee was too upset and unprepared to listen.
It was also pointed out that Hyland had a good disciplinary record. This was acknowledged by the disciplinary committee.
The Ballyteague community were said to be in shock after last week's court verdict. One local said the Hyland family were of the highest integrity and greatly respected in the community.
"They are honourable and decent people. Now a jail sentence is hanging over a young man, his wife and their children. It's far too severe," he said.