"Unprovoked, unwarranted and unjustifiable".
Three soccers players from Mullingar Town have all been banned from any activity to do with football for 40 years each, in the aftermath of the assault on referee Daniel Sweeney.
A former Mullingar Town player who was a spectator at the game, and who was already subject to a lifetime playing ban, also now has a life ban from all football activity.
The Combined Counties Football League labelled the attacks as a"vicious, unprecedented level of violence" and added it was "unprovoked, unwarranted and unjustifiable".
Sweeney was hospitalised with serious head injuries after he was assaulted by the four men at the end of a game between Horseleap United and Mullingar Town.
Mr Sweeney's injuries included:
- A jaw broken in two places
- A fractured eye socket
- And numerous lacerations to his nose.
"I'm feeling sore, to be honest. I'm feeling sore where I have my injuries. But look I'm getting on with it," he said, in a video message recorded after the incident.
"It certainly makes you question should I be refereeing when you feel you're not properly protected.
"So it makes you question whether refereeing is for you."
He also said he was brought up as a man of faith and holds no grudge towards those who attacked him.
"My main message is to say to the individuals involved, I bear no animosity whatsoever for what happened.
"Actually, I forgive you for what happened," he said.
"What would I like to see out of this at the end of the day?
"I would like to see the day that a referee can go onto a football field, feel safe and be safe."
Hopefully, today's punishment for the offenders is a step towards ending referee violence for good.
