A MONAGHAN club footballer and referee will have an eye removed in an operation tomorrow following an incident which has caused deep shock within the county.
Iniskeen goalkeeper Noel Brady sustained an horrific injury in a club match against Sean McDermotts on Sunday.
Brady is understood to have suffered a high tackle from an opposition player.
He was taken to Louth County Hospital following the injury, which occurred about 20 minutes into the match. Brady was later removed to Dublin’s Beaumount Hospital from where he was transferred to the Mater Hospital in the city.
The Mater confirmed yesterday that Brady must undergo surgery to remove the eye and also to repair damage to his jaw and cheekbone.
As of yet there is no indication as to when the player will be released from hospital.
The injury will almost certainly mean the end of Brady’s playing career and could also cut short a very promising career as a referee.
ANNADALE Striders athlete Brian Tracey ran a World Championships 1500 metres qualifying time at a Grand Prix meet in Casablanca last night.
The Whiteabbey man recorded his fastest time for three years, 3.38.74 which was the best by an Irish athlete since 1997.
Tracey’s next race is at the TNT National Championships in Santry on July 24th and 25th. The following weekend he races over 1500 metres in Barcelona.
There was also a fine performance in Casablanca from another Irish athlete.
Waterford’s Susan Smith Walsh finished second in the 400 metres hurdles in a time of 56.64.
DERMOT Donnelly is facing up to the likelihood of having to abort his summer track season.
The Annadale Strider has been struggling for form over the last two months and is set to under go tests shortly to hope to get to the root of the problem.
“I’m completely wiped out after (training) sessions. I’ve had some sinus trouble but I don’t think that is the full extent of it. I’ve never felt so bad and the big problem is that I haven’t got a clue what the problem is.
“If I up the pace from steady running to any degree at all, I’m really struggling.”
Donnelly has definitely ruled out the prospect of competing in the Irish National Championships at Santry the weekend after next.
IRISH League champions Glentoran last night lodged an official complaint with Uefa about the Yugoslav referee after their 3-0 Champions League defeat at the hands of Bulgarian side Liteks yesterday.
The standard of refereeing in the qualifying round first leg tie infuriated the Glens who now need the most dramatic of turnarounds in the second leg in Belfast next week to stay in the competition.
Glens boss Roy Coyle said: “The refereeing was poor but the gap in class between the teams was there for all to see.
“We looked comfortable for a time at 2-0 but that final goal gives us a mountain to climb in the second leg next week.”
