Dundalk court: Man missed All-Ireland semi-final after giving single digit salute to garda

A Tyrone GAA supporter who gave a single digit salute to a Garda driving behind the bus he was travelling in to Croke Park, was arrested for a public order offence and missed seeing his team beat Kerry in the All-Ireland semi-final, Dundalk district court heard last week.

Colm Eccles with an address at Slievebane Road, Omagh was before the court charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at Northern Cross, Mell on August 28th last.

The court heard the 18 year old initially denied sticking up his middle finger at the garda and claimed he'd made the gesture to a friend.

After being told the defendant had "too much drink taken" and is due to start a civil engineering course in the University of Ulster, Judge Eirinn McKiernan said she would accept a €200 donation to the Turas Counselling Service and strike out the case.

Addressing the teenager, the judge said "Do you understand that if you get a conviction...you won't get a job".