Wexford hurling star Conor McDonald has been convicted of drink driving and disqualified for three years.
Mr McDonald, 26, of Hazlewood, Gorey, was charged with drink driving and with failing or refusing to provide a preliminary breath specimen at Ramsfort, Gorey, on May 3, 2020.
The Star first revealed McDonald’s drink driving arrest in 2020, and confronted him about it at the time to which he said: "There's a lot of misinformation. I don't have to tell you anything and I won't.
"Are you still asking questions? Well I'll close the door. You can talk to the door if you want.”
And yesterday, nearly two years later, Mr McDonald was convicted of drink driving, following a case before Gorey District Court.
Giving evidence to the court, Garda Aaron O’Neill said that he responded to a report of a road traffic accident at Ramsfort on the night of May 3.
He told the court that when he arrived at the scene there was a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road, parked between the two lanes.
The court heard that the car had collided with the ditch, and that its front right bumper was damaged.
Two men were at the scene, one of whom was Mr McDonald, the court heard.
The garda told the court that the accused was leaning against a wall and that his speech was slurred.
He said the defendant was also heard saying “my car is f*cked.”
Mr McDonald made no reply when cautioned - with the court hearing he had said he drank two bottles of beer at midnight and was driving his car by around ten past midnight.
The garda said he asked Mr McDonald to carry out a road side breath test but he was unable to comply with the request.
The court heard that at one point the accused told the garda: “I promise you lad, I am actually trying.”
Following repeated attempts to carry out the test the garda said he formed the opinion the accused was intoxicated to the extent of being incapable of having proper control of a mechanically propelled vehicle.
McDonald was arrested and brought to Gorey Garda Station where he opted to provide a urine sample which upon laboratory analysis recorded a reading of 252µg/100ml.
Garda Emmett Malone also gave evidence in court and was the member in charge at Gorey Garda Station on the night of the alleged incident.
"The accused must be informed of the fact that he was under arrest and in this case he wasn’t,” said the barrister.
"In this case, for failing to comply with a roadside breath test,” he added.
Judge John Cheatle said he was satisfied with the state’s case and commented that it would have been clear to the defendant why he was being arrested, after the issue was raised by the defence.
The court heard McDonald had no previous convictions, and works as an estate agent in Portmarnock.
The court heard the loss of his licence would cause issues for the defendant in terms of travelling from his home in Gorey to Portmarnock for work.
Judge Cheatle disqualified McDonald from driving for three years and also imposed a €300 fine on the drink driving charge and marked the charge of failing to comply as taken into account.
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