Westmeath footballer who escaped jail for ‘off the ball’ match assault must pay €20,000 compensation

A GAA player who fractured another footballer’s eye socket, leaving him with impaired vision after an “off-the-ball” incident in a club match, avoided jail but must pay €20,000 compensation.

Tom Molloy (26), who was on the Westmeath county panel at the time, was playing midfield for his club, Shandonagh, against local rivals Maryland during an away challenge match on February 24th, 2019.

He was given a 2½-year sentence after he pleaded guilty at Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to Maryland GAA’s wing forward Liam Reilly.

The self-employed electrician of Rathcolman, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, who had no prior criminal conviction, admitted using excessive force, claiming there had been an earlier interaction during the match.

Mr Reilly was in severe pain and treated by specialists at St James’s Hospital and the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin with regular visits for a year.

The court also heard that he had lost his passion for playing Gaelic football.

Garda Ronan Curran agreed with prosecution counsel John Hayden that the match involved “the usual tussle” and that there had been interactions between Molloy and Mr Reilly.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Keenan Johnson described it as a nasty incident that he ranked as being at the upper end for the offence, which could attract a maximum five-year prison term.

He set a headline sentence of four years, but due to the mitigating factors, he reduced it to two years and six months, which he suspended on condition Molloy did not reoffend in the next four years. He also ordered him to pay €20,000 to Mr Reilly within 12 months.

“I want to make clear it is not a case of Mr Molloy buying his way out of trouble, but him suffering the pain of having to earn €20,000, which will be of some assistance to Mr Reilly in his recovery. Incarceration of the accused is not appropriate given his lack of previous convictions and the fact this offending was an aberration for him and bearing in mind it took place during a heightened GAA event where a competitive element overtook the sporting motivation.”

The judge said: “I think the competitive element of the GAA and its growth in the last number of years has reduced considerably the degree of sportsmanship that one should have and should be a cornerstone of sporting engagement.”

GAA disciplinary authorities imposed a 24-week suspension on Molloy.

In court, he apologised for the injury “which occurred in the heat of the game” and wished Mr Reilly the best in his recovery.