Two hurlers who beat a man unconscious, fracturing his skull, were each sentenced to three years' imprisonment at Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
However, Judge Michael O'Shea, who described the assault as "savage" and "extremely serious", suspended the sentences on the undertaking that the two men enter a bond to keep the peace for four years.
He also directed that they each pay over €10,000 to the victim.
The court was told that Brendan Dooley (25), The Square, Ballyragget, and Niall Staunton (21), Ballyouskill, Attanagh, assaulted James Delaney (37) in the toilet of the St Patrick's GAA club in Ballyragget, on November 23rd, 2003, repeatedly kicking him to the head.
Prosecuting counsel Patrick Treacy had told the court that Mr Delaney was attacked from behind and received a depressed fracture of the skull and soft tissue swelling to his jaw.
Both men admitted having consumed a "considerable amount" of alcohol.
The case had been adjourned from the February sitting of the court when the two men - who were members of the team that reached the county junior final in 2003 for the first time in 25 years - pleaded guilty to assault causing harm at a celebration party in the West End lounge, Ballyragget.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, Sarah Phelan, counsel for Dooley, and Jeremy Maher, for Staunton, said the probation officer's reports before the court indicated that the two men had taken full responsibility for their actions and they were unlikely to become involved in "this type of behaviour again".
They also said their clients had learned salutary lessons and were each offering €10,000 to Mr Delaney in compensation.
The court was told that Dooley was still working with the ESB and Staunton was working as an apprentice carpenter in Monasterevin.
Judge O'Shea said they might have been pilloried in the community because of the stigma of what they had done, but it was nothing compared to what Mr Delaney had suffered.
They had to be responsible for their actions, which amounted to a savage assault.
He said the case was an extremely marginal one between imposing a custodial sentence and suspending it.
However, he was going to give them a chance and suspended their sentences.