A Kerry footballer has been convicted of assaulting two gardaí and a security guard after he had consumed what was described as a voluminous amount of alcohol on St Stephen's Day last year.
Kevin McCarthy, of Gortnatona, Kilcummin, Killarney, Co Kerry, was fined €1,400 after he pleaded guilty at the district court in Tralee.
On 26 December last, the 24-year-old took a bus to Limerick to watch a Munster/Leinster rugby match.
He started drinking on the bus; cans of lager, then brandy and Bailey's and later vodka and Red Bull, and did not eat all day.
Back in Castleisland that night, he assaulted gardaí Mike Dalton and Ronan Coleman, as well as security guard Robert Zyburu, who came to their assistance.
McCarthy later told gardaí that he had blacked out from the drink and could not remember the incident.
His solicitor Padraig O'Connell said his client was extremely apologetic.
Judge David Waters said McCarthy would have been facing a jail sentence except for the fact that these were his first offences. He fined him €1,400.
Mr O'Connell said that McCarthy would appeal the size of the penalties imposed.
Kevin McCarthy has represented Kerry at underage level and made his senior intercounty debut last year.
He has won both National League and Munster Championship medals.
