Gardaí have confirmed that they are investigating two alleged assaults at the end of a Gaelic football match in Co Wexford yesterday.
The alleged assaults on both the referee and an umpire took place after a Junior A football match between St Joseph's and Our Lady's Island on Sunday morning.
The incident happened at Whiterock Hill, the home venue of Wexford town club St Joseph's.
Both men attended hospital last night for treatment, however it is understood that neither had to be kept overnight and there are no serious injuries involved.
The incident has been widely condemned, including by Minister for Sport Jack Chambers, and gardaí in Wexford have confirmed they are investigating.
They have already engaged with both victims and are continuing their inquiries.
"The positive news is that there is no serious injury issue," Wexford GAA chairman Michael Martin told RTÉ Radio's News at One.
"He is shaken, obviously, [but] is recovering at home."
On the same programme, Minister of State for Sport Jack Chambers, said match officials "need to be protected and respected" and that the department has directed Sport Ireland to engage with sporting bodies across all codes to ensure the protection and respect of referees.
He said: "There should be no threatening or abusive behaviour of any kind against match officials. Match officials and referees are central to the functioning of our game in all sports and they need to be protected and respected and it needs to be taken seriously by all authorities involved so that there are appropriate sanctions.
"We have had a couple of incidents in the last number of weeks that have shocked people and we have to ensure it's stamped out of our games.
"There is a requirement to escalate this and that's why we have asked Sport Ireland to engage with governing bodies in sport to have that discussion. We have to have respect for referees and match officials across all sports and any incident can't be tolerated.
"That's why there is a combination of measures in terms of sanctions but also education across the sporting system that requires everyone involved from national level right through to grassroots so that our referees are protected and respected."
Wexford GAA had said in a statement on Sunday that it "strongly condemns" abuse towards match officials.
"Wexford GAA are disappointed that such an incident arose and strongly condemns any threatening or abusive behaviour towards our match officials of any kind," it added.
It said it "would like to wish the officials involved in this incident a speedy recovery".
The Competitions Control Committee of the Wexford county board will "commence a full investigation into the incident".
Wexford GAA said it will also support garda inquires.
