Despite media reports to the contrary, the Leinster club hurling championship match between Meath champion's Trim and Naomh Eoin from Carlow was not abandoned.

Radio and press reports stated that Kilkenny referee Dermot Ronan had abandoned the match after 58 minutes when players from both sides became embroiled in a free-for-all. Ronan subsequently informed the Leinster Council that full time had indeed elapsed and that three and a half minutes of injury time had been allowed when he blew time.

However, Naomh Eoin club official Michael Whelan said that they had been given a definite indication that the game had been prematurely ended in the wake of the melee.

"That's the report we got. The word we got from the dressing-room was that the match had been abandoned," Whelan said yesterday. He was unaware that the referee had since asserted that sufficient time had been played.

"There was definitely time left. Not even 30 minutes had gone in the second half when the whistle was blown," he said.

When the game ended Trim were leading by 1-8 to 1-6 and the referee has submitted this tally to the Leinster Council as the final score. "That's the score we have on the referee's report," said Leinster Council secretary Michael Delaney.

"There is absolutely no doubt about the matter as far as (referee) Dermot Ronan is concerned. I began a conversation with him yesterday about the game, thinking it had been abandoned and he assured me that those reports were completely wrong, that he had in fact played over three minutes of injury time," stated Delaney.

He indicated that the referee's report described the "very serious scenes" which erupted at the conclusion of play and he predicted that "officials from both clubs and a number of players would be called before a meeting of the executive of the Leinster Council".

Allowing that a row had developed between both clubs, Whelan asserted that one of their players "had been assaulted" moments before the disorder.

All through, the match - played at Dr Cullen Park in Carlow - was marred by ill-temper. Trim midfielder Padraig McGuinness was sent off in the 23rd minute after he retaliated following an infringement involving Naomh Eoin's Anthony Curry, who was booked. Naomh Eoin centre forward Robert Foley was left with a gashed brow which required 12 stitches after he received a blow which smashed through his protective helmet.

Those involved with the Trim club feel the dismissal of McGuinness was harsh and club secretary Brendan Dempsey added that the violence witnessed was extremely disturbing.

"At one stage I was fearful for the safety of several members of our team as a number of supporters also climbed over the wire fence and joined in the row which went hell-for-leather for at least another minute," he commented.

The issue will be dealt with by the Leinster Council executive on Thursday, October 29th.

Enniskillen Gaels' Shane Connolly and Crossmaglen's Joe Fitzpatrick will miss Sunday's Ulster Club championship semi-finals after receiving four-week suspensions at last night's Ulster Council meeting in Monaghan.

Connolly was dismissed in his club's game against Rostrevor on October 4th, while Fitzpatrick received his marching orders against Mullahoran on October 11th.