GAA referee hospitalised with broken bones after ‘serious’ on-pitch incident

A Wexford GAA referee is being treated in hospital following a "serious incident" in which he was struck by a sliotar in the face during an U14 challenge hurling game.

Damian Lynch of the Buffers Alley club, who has been refereeing in Wexford for almost four years, was officiating at an under-14 challenge game involving his own club and Shelmaliers near Wexford town when the incident occurred.

Lynch was struck accidentally in the face by the sliotar, leading to the rest of the challenge game being called off as an ambulance was called to the scene. It emerged that Lynch had suffered several broken bones in his face and was suffering from impaired vision.

Damian Lynch was taken to Wexford General Hospital to be treated that evening, and told chairman of the Wexford GAA referees committee Seamus Whelan he was to be transferred to St James's Hospital in Dublin.

Whelan said it was quite a serious incident. "I was talking to him last night and he was expecting to be transferred to St, James' hospital in Dublin, they have to check out if he has a bleed on the brain."

The chairperson, who has known Damian since he started refereeing in Wexford, said the accident was a unique one. "I've been involved in refereeing since 1978, in that amount of time I've never heard of this happening. It was only a challenge game.

Wishing Damian Lynch a speedy recovery, Whelan also sympathised with the under-14 players at the match, particularly the teenager who had accidentally struck the referee."I know it was only an accident, but you're a human being, you'd feel it too."

A spokesperson for Wexford GAA confirmed that they were aware of the "freak accident", and said "we join with all in the GAA community in wishing him well with his recovery."

"Credit is due to those at the match who recognised the seriousness of the situation and called an ambulance, and also to the paramedics who attended and other medical staff involved in his treatment," the spokesperson said.