Clare GAA have launched an investigation after a referee was knocked to the ground following an under-15 football game in Kilrush on Monday evening.Gardaí are also investigating the matter after incidents arising from the match between Kilrush-Killimer and Lissycasey were reported to Kilrush Garda station.Video footage circulating online shows referee John O’Connell on the ground surrounded by a group mainly made up of adults, many of whom are trying to calm the flashpoint.O’Connell is eventually helped up from the ground, but the Cooraclare official initially appears unsteady when gets back to his feet. The matter was later brought to the attention of local gardaí and Clare county coard are to launch an investigation once the referee’s report has been submitted.Speaking on Clare FM, county board chairman Kieran Keating said: “There was some form of an incident. We don’t have the referee’s report yet so I can’t really say a whole lot about the incident itself, but what I will say is that it is important to us that our referees get respected and get the support they deserve when doing our games.“There are various levels of infractions, from verbal to minor physical to assault basically – different levels of infractions. And if there is a finding of an infraction of any of those levels against the referee when we review the report on the game then we will impose the sanctions as per the rule book for those.”The possible minimum suspension for any assault on a match official is a 96-week suspension. However, that minimum sanction is automatically doubled for an underage game.Category Va deals with any type of assault on a referee, a score umpire, line umpire or sideline official, and sets a “minimum 96 weeks suspension, with (the) offender’s team liable to disqualification, where appropriate.”However, in relation to underage games, the GAA’s official guide adds: “The minimum time suspension imposed shall be double the minimum specified in the respective category of this rule.”