Enniscorthy Gardai are to launch an investigation into an alleged assault involving a match referee in Co Wexford.

Referee John O'Loughlin reported the matter to Gardai in Enniscorthy after he was allegedly knocked to the ground during a Junior 'B' hurling championship match between Duffry Rovers and Enniscorthy Rapparees last Thursday evening.

Duffry Rovers won the game, but five minutes from the end of the match, O'Loughlin alleges that a member of the Rapparees club came on to the field and assaulted him, leaving the match official lying on the ground, but the Monageer-Boolavogue clubman carried out with the rest of the game.

An irate O'Loughlin explained his side of the story to the Wexford People as both the Gardai and Wexford GAA look into the matter.

"I put a Rapparees player off during the first half following a helmet incident. After that they were not happy with me," stated O'Loughlin.

"A Rapparees man was doing the sideline. During the second half a Duffry Rovers player was carrying the ball along the sideline, the Rapps were looking for a sideline. I did not give it as the ball had not crossed the line. This happened a second time and a hurl was thrown, but fortunately it did not hit me.

"But it did not end there. A man came running at me. I was left flat on my back on the ground. It was a Rapparees club man who was not playing on the evening. I was raging for letting him do it. I followed him over to the sideline, asking him his name."

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