THE CAPTAIN of the Donegal All-Ireland champions of 1992, Anthony Molloy, has admitted sending a menacing message to a Sky television representative who called to his bar in Ardara, Co Donegal.
Molloy threatened the life of Derek Moloney, from Limerick, and told him to order a coffin if he ever returned to Ardara, Glenties District Court was told.
He told Mr Moloney in a mobile phone call that he would be shot and he was from stab city, the court heard.
Mr Moloney said there were two calls and, in one, Molloy left a message which said “don’t you ever set foot in Ardara again or you will be caught dead in the river”.
Mr Moloney told Judge Kevin Kilrane: “Being told you are going to have your coffin ordered was scary.
“What really scared me was my car number was called out. I thought I was being followed. I was terrified.”
The court heard that the two had never met and the Sky representative did not know who Molloy was until he was pointed out in court three minutes before the case was called.
When Mr Moloney called to the former footballer’s bar last April 17th, Molloy was in a pub across the road.
Mr Moloney left a message on his mobile phone and it was after that that the threatening calls were made by Molloy.
Molloy, who pleaded guilty to sending a menacing telecommunication, apologised in court and said he was having a bad time in his business and felt the difficulties were exacerbated when the man from Sky called.
“I shouldn’t have made the phone calls,” he said, adding that he had not apologised earlier on the advice of an investigating garda.
Molloy, skipper in 1992 of the only Donegal team to win an All-Ireland senior football title, agreed to pay €2,000 compensation to Mr Moloney and the judge struck out the summons.
The judge said he did not think the threats would have been carried out as Molloy was taking out his anger on Sky, not on Mr Moloney.