Local GAA referees home attacked

 

By Shane Brophy

 

Local GAA referee Philip Kelly had his home egged and also received unwarranted text messages in the early hours of Sunday morning.

When contacted by the Guardian on Sunday evening, the Ballinahinch native confirmed the incident at his home took place during the night with the eggs thrown from the road and was awoken by it. His wife and three teenage kids were also at home at the time.

Mr Kelly confirmed while he didn't and won't be informing the Gardai of the incident, he did notify the chairman of a local GAA club and this has been corroborated by the aforemention chairman.

The name of that club is being withheld from this report as the actions of the individual(s) involved do not represent the club and don't deserve to be tagged publicly.

Philip Kelly added that nothing like this had ever happened to him before in his eleven years as a referee at local, inter-county and national level.

While he admitted to receiving plenty of abuse over the years during and after games, he said “it's annoying when it comes to your home.”

Mr. Kelly had refereed a tense County Senior Hurling Championship quarter final between Kiladangan and Toomevara in Cloughjordan the previous day.

He added that this attack on his home won't stop him from refereeing and he is due to be the man in the middle for next Saturday's County Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final between Kilsheelan/Kilcash and Sean Treacys in Cashel.