Tyrone GAA clubs punished for mass brawl

Published Friday, 25 November 2011

Two Co Tyrone Gaelic Football clubs involved in a mass brawl during the Division One league final at Ballygawley have been punished for the part they played in the disorder.

The fight between the clubs Carrickmore and Dromore occurred earlier this month at the grounds of Errigal Ciarán at Dunmoyle.

The brawl spilled over into the crowd with spectators becoming embroiled in ugly scenes.

The proposed bans to the clubs total 452 weeks. Both have received the maximum fine available from their county GAA board.

Four people from each club involved in fighting in the stand at Dunmoyle have been banned for a year.

Three Carrickmore players also received lengthy suspensions.

The clubs will have to play their next two fixtures against each other at neutral venues and will not take part in next season's league play-offs.

A Tyrone GAA press officer described the punishments awarded by the county's Competition Controls Committee as among "the most severe ever issued by Tyrone GAA."

He added: "We thank both clubs for their support in the investigation and are confident that lessons have and will be learnt from the unacceptable scenes in Dunmoyle."

Comments

5 Comments

A true Gael in Ulster wrote (179 days ago):

Tyrone CCC bottled it - an absolute disgrace the punishments handed out to those thugs !! And then talking it up to the media that these were severe punishments handed out to the culprits - absolute rubbish !! Life bans were required here !! Those thugs should never be allowed through the gates of any GAA ground again. Did the pictures of those scared kids and parents not strike a cord with you people ?? Tyrone GAA you have let yourselves down last Friday !!

louise in tyrone wrote (182 days ago):

why punish the dromore players? well that would sort of be self explanitary. It takes 2 parties to fight if not then it is simply assault. If someone stands up and takes an assault case againt their perpetrators especially if it's on tape then it will soon make people think of the consequences of their actions. The days of fear of recriminations should be long gone. If this happens outside of a sports ground its assault and is dealt with as such. Now is the time to stand up and say enough is enough.

desmond mc cusker in dromore wrote (182 days ago):

why punish the dromore players they done nothing wrong. disgrace

Eileen in Fermanagh wrote (182 days ago):

This is a joke, I totally agree with Louise. If it had happened at a soccer match, they would have been fined the minimum of £2000 and banned for at least two years. Those scenes warranted a heafty fine and ban, after all people were injured. What if someone had been killed or brain damaged as a result of these thugs. Tyrone GAA shouldnt allow themselves to be put under pressure by any other club. An example should be set and those involved should be named and shamed. There should be no place for any fighting of any shape or form at a football match, or indeed at any other sport. This violence took place in front of our youth. I agree with Louise, the bye laws need to be amended and amended urgently. I hope we will never witness the like of it again.

Again we have a white wash since when did £300 become a substantial fine. 2 of the biggest clubs in the county would be able to pay that out of petty cash. When will the powers that run our games learn, that unless you stamp out this type of behaviour once and for all it will continue to blight our beloved games and any good work and PR will be undermined. Its easy to hide behind bye laws and say this is the maximum we can propose so surely the time is right to amend the bye laws at both local and national level. Tyrone GAA would need to grow a set and stop bowing to pressure from high profile clubs.