AN INVESTIGATION IS underway after a volunteer referee was attacked during a schoolboy soccer match this weekend.

Roy Kavanagh (22) was repeatedly kicked in the stomach and leg before fleeing to the dressing rooms.

It happened towards the end of a Dublin District Schoolboy League under 15s match in Dublin on Saturday.

After the attack yesterday morning the volunteer referee posted a message on his Facebook page saying:

All I do is referee because I have passion for the game and this is my only way of being involved in it.

“I don’t have a car and travel to most games via bus and many times I’ve walked to and from the like of Terenure and Walkinstown to be there.

The last thing I expect is to be attacked and assaulted for no reason.

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“Now I see why so many young lads are reluctant to do this. I just hope the authorities and the league can handle this the right way because nobody should have to put up with what I put with today.”

Last night he added that, “I never once hit or tried to hit back and still he kept kicking me.”

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He said, “I’m shaken by it, there is no point in saying I’m not”, but he added that the incident wasn’t going to stop him doing what he loves, saying, “Off out to referee again today”.

The incident is now being investigated and it’s understood the alleged attacker is due to appear before the Dublin District Schoolboy League committee on Thursday.

Under FAI rules, a person could be suspended from schoolboy football matches for a minimum of 12 months if found guilty of attacking a referee.