Former intercounty footballer denies assault

A former intercounty footballer made death threats and assaulted a customer at a GAA club bar where he worked, it has been claimed at an Employment Appeals Tribunal hearing.

Former Armagh player Johnny Murtagh (32) was employed as a bar manager at Parnells GAA club in north Dublin when the alleged incident occurred on the night of August 23rd, 2013.

Counsel for Mr Murtagh said his client's subsequent dismissal on September 16th, 2013, was unfair. In a statement to the tribunal, Mr Murtagh, who also played Gaelic football for Parnells from 2011 to 2013, said he "saw red" when confronting club volunteer Greg Maxwell in the bar on that occasion and an altercation ensued.

Mr Murtagh said he had seen Mr Maxwell “harassing” four girls in the bar at 4.30pm, and had intervened. Mr Murtagh finished his shift at 7pm, but, he said, had remained in the bar, and was later told by Mr Maxwell: “I’ll tell your missus you were with another girl in the club.”

“I was in a state of mind where I could only see red. I accosted Greg . . . I fully understand that what occurred was wrong and apologise for my actions,” Mr Murtagh said in his statement.

CCTV footage

The tribunal was shown CCTV footage from about 12.20am on August 23rd, 2013, which showed Mr Murtagh entering the bar’s pool room and pulling Mr Maxwell to the ground.

Mr Murtagh denied his actions amounted to assault.

In a written submission read to the tribunal by representatives for Parnells, Mr Maxwell alleged that Mr Murtagh had then said: “If you go any further about this, I’ll come back and kill you”.

Later, in the club kitchen, Mr Murtagh “came storming through the door and started throwing punches at me”.

Mr Maxwell said he lodged a complaint with gardaí. Both individuals were later suspended from the club prior to Mr Murtagh’s dismissal.The case continues.