Tyrone board to meet over brawl

It is amazing that even in sport in this country there is division. I myself have had first hand experience of both GAA and Football matches. I was at the Poland v NI match a couple of years ago in Belfast. I have sworn since to never attend a football match in NI ever again due to the thuggery, violence and abuse from the local contingent. I attended the Ulster Football Final in clones this year with some local friends and this was a total breath of fresh air. Opposing fans sat together and had the utmost respect for each other. No bad language and there was a real family atmosphere. People cannot call up isolated incidents and use this as a way to express their bigotry and hatred because that is the only reason why they have made these negative and usless comments.

You were wrong John, the UTV is not biased as you seem to be by your negative comments. What can the pSNI do if they got information, theycould get wrong information as has happened inthe past and people have been wrongly accused. It is a matter for the GAA in Tyrone to sort out and ban those responsible for life from all GAA matches. They dont deserve to be allowed to either participate or watch those games.

If this was any other sport e.g. Football those involved would be branded hooligans and would face the full vigour of the law. Unfortunately incidents like this one are becoming all to common in relation to the GAA. Moves must be taken by the clubs involved to identify those responsible and pass all information onto the PSNI. I would also recommend that for any club who does not wish to comply and assist the investigation to have their gates closed!

John - you have given a list of incidents at GAA matches. However you failed to balance that with violence that takes place surrounding football/soccer matches. 2009 Northern Ireland v Poland world cup qualifier game in 2009, serious violence spread, with the cost of policing the match running over £100,000, 11 police officers injured and many fans from both sides hospitalised; indeed earlier this year the schools cup final between Belfast Boys’ Model School and St Mary's Christian Brothers Grammar School also decended into violence. This is only two recent examples. The reason tax payers money is being used to upgrade some GAA facilities is because most GAA members are tax payers and the GAA contributes alot to the development of young people, keeping them off the streets and steering them in the right direction - just like many other sporting bodies. You cannot have a balanced debate when you have blinkers on. This is a problem for the GAA but also for other sporting bodies.

It did not take long for the GAA bashers to emerge in a blaze of triumphalism. I have played soccer, rugby, hurling and gaelic football and have seen scenes similar to Sunday in all these sports so I hope that John applies the same level of rigour when he looks at the behaviour of other sports and rushes to quote press stories such as 'Probe as violence erupts at schools football showpiece (Bel Tel - Mar 2011), 'Riot Police deal with hooligan fans as Linfield beat Glentoran (Bel Tel - Dec 2008), 'Ugly face of football as violence flares at cross border clash' (Bel Tel - April 2008), 'Portadown flagged up potential for trouble' (fireworks thrown at officials - UTV Oct 2011), 'Football boss sent bullet in post' (BBC Mar 2008), 'Police called to social club' (Portadown Times Sept 2011). Over the years soccer at local and national level has been blighted by behaviour much worse than seen in Tyrone on Sunday. The IFA in November handed out 42 suspensions of which 8 were for violent conduct, 6 for offensive, insulting or abusive language and 1 was for headbutting so I hardly think they are all angels. The behaviour of those supporters who did get involved is a disgrace and they will be dealt with by the GAA. The GAA, like Rugby, take pride in not having to segregate our supporters and this incident is extremely rare. Should ice hockey players who take part in mass brawls on the ice be arrested also? Time to take of the myopic glasses and take a balanced view - all physical sports have a tendency to boil over. I hope the individuals involved in the violence at the weekend get lifetime bans - they have shamed themselves and every player who has proudly worn the GAA jersey. As a taxpayer, I am happy for my hard earned taxes to continue to be invested in all sports so that we raise children who are fit, active and healthy.