American goalkeeping prodigy Matthew Nelson was imprisoned for failing to produce a work permit when he arrived in the Republic of Ireland for a recent trial with Kilkenny City.
Nelson came to Ireland to trial as a goalkeeper for the Irish club but within an hour of arriving in Dublin found himself smarting at 'poor conditions' in a prison cell.
The 20-year-old arrived in the Republic last week but immigration officials at Dublin Airport refused him entry to the country because he was not carrying the necessary documentation and hauled him off to Mountjoy prison.
After a series of frantic phone calls, City secretary Jim Rhatigan contacted his local TD (MP) John McGuinness, who asked Minister for Justice John O'Donoghue to arrange the player's release, and with the help of the American embassy in Dublin, the Boston Bulldogs star was free.
"I tried to explain to the immigration officials when they asked me about a work permit that I wasn't looking for work as I had already been signed up by Kilkenny City and that they were looking after everything for me," Nelson said.
"But they didn't understand the situation so I was whisked off in a van to jail. They told me I wouldn't be put into a cell, but after a while that's where I was and that's when I got worried and upset. No one knew what was going on and the conditions there were poor."
Now that his ordeal is over, Nelson will begin training with City this week and try an earn a permament contract which would put No. 1 keeper Robbie Forde under pressure.
Kilkenny are in the middle of a slump, having lost 1-0 at home to Longford Town on Saturday night, and new manager Joe McGrath is still without a win after three games.
