Man who attacked schoolboy referee is banned for life

The man who brutally attacked a referee during an Under-15 soccer match has been banned for life by his club.

St Pauls Artane FC have moved swiftly to punish the assistant manager, who is likely to face further sanction with an Garda Siochana, the FAI and the Dublin and District Schoolboy League (DDSL) all investigating the incident. There was widespread shock when Dubliner Roy Kavanagh took to Facebook to detail how he was "assaulted for no reason by a manager [sic]" during a match between St Pauls and Sacred Heart in Tallaght on Saturday. Last night St Pauls released a statement saying they had banned the offender for life following the vicious assault on Kavanagh.

“The executive committee of St Pauls Artane F.C has decided to issue St Pauls Artane assistant manager with a lifetime ban from all activities at St Pauls Artane fc with immediate effect. “This ban results from his involvement in an unsavoury and unacceptable incident with referee Roy Kavanagh at a DDSL Under 15 game between Sacred Heart and St Pauls Artane F.C on Saturday the 24/10/15. “His misdemeanours are unacceptable to St Pauls Artane F.C and go against all the beliefs and values of St Pauls Artane F.C. “We, as a club, strongly and sincerely condemn his actions and we unreservedly apologise to referee Roy Kavanagh. “We also apologise to the DDSL executive committee, management committee and the DDSL clubs. “St Paul’s Artane FC will without hesitation co-operate fully with all investigations into this game and incident.”