Today's Leinster Junior quarter-final match in Pearse Park ended in chaos after the referee was struck for disallowing a late goal.
Longford junior champions Kilashee pipped St. Finbarrs of Louth by a point in a thrilling endgame. In the final play of the game, the Louth side thought they had it won with a late goal.
After consulting with the umpire, the referee disallowed the goal for a square ball and immediately blew the full-time whistle. An irate Finbarr's player retaliated by punching the referee in the ribs.
The referee hit the ground, whereupon players from the victorious Kilashee side stepped in to try and protect him. Cue inevitable brawl. The stewards arrived and got the referee off the pitch.
Shannonside's Deniese O'Flaherty described the scene to us a few minutes ago.
The referee was clocked. Right at the final whistle, he disallowed a goal for a square ball. It was the umpire who called him in. He blew the (full-time) whistle and one minute afterwards we see him down on the ground and the Kilashee players running over to help him...
He was hit by one of the Finbarr's players. He was struck right in the ribs.
The Kilashee lads were there trying to protect the referee. The stewards got in quickly, and they got him off before they let the teams off.
We may hear more about this incident.
