James McCartan was approached by the Gardai in August

The Irish police wish to question Down gaelic footballer James McCartan about an incident in a match earlier this year which left a Westmeath player with a broken jaw.

McCartan has confirmed that he was approached by gardai after a recent GAA disciplinary hearing in Dublin which was investigating the alleged incident.

During a challenge match at Newcastle in county Dublin in May, Westmeath defender Ken Larkin suffered the injury.

The Westmeath county board has said that Larkin plans to take a civil action in relation to the incident.

McCartan was called before the GAA's disciplinary body, the Games Administration Committee, to discuss the matter in August and immediately after that hearing, he was approached by Gardai seeking to question him about the incident.

A Garda spokeswoman has confirmed that the force has received an official complaint about the incident and McCartan is aware of the investigation.

The findings of the GAA investigation have not yet been delivered.

McCartan, who is manager of the Queens University GAA team, was not sent off during the match.