A captain of a League of Ireland club was given a suspended sentence yesterday for breaking an opponent's jaw during a seven-a-side soccer tournament in Dublin.
Noel Griffin (31), of Iveagh Trust House, Kevin Street pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assaulting William Olin on a soccer pitch on July 5th, 1995. He paid £2,000 compensation to Mr Olin.
Griffin had been captain of the first team of St Francis Football Club in the city.
He was playing for the "Farrell seven" - made up of St Francis players - against the "Tiger seven" in a tournament organised by Manortown United, of Perrystown in Dublin.
Sgt Michael Tyner, of Crumlin, said Mr Olin was marking Griffin. Both went for a ball and fell over. The referee awarded a free kick to the "Tiger seven".
Some witnesses suggested that Mr Olin was walking away when he was struck by Griffin. Others suggested he was "squaring up" to the defendant.
He suffered a broken jaw as a result of one blow to the face. He required a bone graft from his skull and spent a week in hospital. Judge Kieran O'Connor imposed an eight-month suspended sentence.