Limerick hurling manager gives evidence in Kyle Hayes case

The manager of the Limerick senior hurling team John Kiely has told Limerick Circuit Court that All-Ireland winning hurler Kyle Hayes has accepted responsibility for his part in a violent fracas at a nightclub in Limerick in 2019.

Mr Kiely was giving evidence at a sentencing hearing for 25-year-old Kyle Hayes who was found guilty by a jury in December last of two counts of violent disorder inside and outside the Icon nightclub on 28 October 2019.

Evidence was recalled at today's hearing outlining how 24-year-old victim Cillian McCarthy from Ballysimon in Co Limerick was punched a number of times inside the nightclub by Hayes and others, and ended up with a serious injury to his eye.

Hayes had denied both charges. He was acquitted of a charge of assault causing harm.

Mr Kiely was called as a character witness for Hayes.

He said he knew him for seven years since he became involved with the senior hurling panel when he was 19 and would have almost daily contact with him.

He said Hayes told him of the events within 24 hours of them occurring in October 2019.

Mr Kiely said he was very disappointed when he viewed CCTV footage of the events of that night in October 2019 in light of the high standards they have set for themselves.

He described Hayes as someone he would trust, someone he could always rely on, with a very strong work ethic and strong leadership qualities who always put his team first.

He said he had tried to support him in every way over the past four years since these events happened.

In evidence he told Judge Dermot Sheehan that Hayes accepted responsibility for his part in those events, and that he had let his family and his team mates down and all those who look up to him as a role model, and that if he could roll back