A judge has called GAA president Seán Kelly to task for his attitude to on-field violence while banning a member of the Offaly senior football panel from playing for five years.
Judge John Neilan at Tullamore District Court yesterday said he was dismayed to hear Mr Kelly "commend" all involved in last Friday's International Rules clash between Ireland and Australia, when "commentators the length and breadth of Ireland" labelled it as "thuggery"
The GAA or its president did not convince him that they were interested in trying to "control" the level of violence on their fields.
He made his remarks when hearing a case against a Gaelic footballer who kicked a player in the head while he was lying on the ground.
Declan Kelly (25), Pollagh, Tullamore, Co Offaly, pleaded guilty at Tullamore District Court last May to the assault on David Cassidy during an Offaly senior championship match on June 18th, 2004.
Kelly was also convicted earlier this year for an assault on his team manager after a club function.
The assault charge on Mr Cassidy was adjourned to yesterday when Kelly arrived in court with €15,000 compensation.
Judge Neilan ordered the compensation be paid over, imposed an 11-month suspended sentence on Kelly and instructed him to enter a peace bond for five years.
He also ordered Kelly, who, the court heard, had recently been called up for the Offaly senior football panel, not to play football for the duration of the bond.
His solicitor Donal Farrelly sought to save Kelly's playing career, but Judge Neilan refused and said he was unimpressed with the GAA's apparent tolerance of violence on the field.
The court heard a tussle for a ball took place between players from Kelly's club, Erin Rovers, and Bracknagh in a match at Cappincur, Co Offaly. After the tussle, Mr Cassidy was lying on the ground, and Kelly kicked his head.
He was knocked unconscious and brought to hospital in Tullamore, before being transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where he spent 13 days. He suffered cerebral bleeding, but has since made a full recovery and told the court in May he believed Kelly was very sorry for what had happened.
The court heard Kelly had travelled to the hospital to apologise to Mr Cassidy.
Mr Farrelly said Kelly's mother had died suddenly at a young age and he had unresolved issues dating back to this. He lived with his partner and was otherwise a good man.
Kelly was previously given a 12-month suspended sentence last March after pleading guilty to punching and kicking Seán Cooney, a former All-Ireland footballer, at a function in Moate, Co Westmeath.
Mr Cooney had led the Erin Rovers team to championship glory and was presented with a trophy at the function.
However, he was assaulted outside the hotel just afterwards by Kelly and received serious eye injuries in the attack. On that occasion, he was instructed to pay €5,000 compensation.