Soccer Thugs in Croke Park

[Lim till i die]

Disgraceful scenes at todays Leinster Football Final between Louth (A well known soccer county) and Meath.

At full time after a magnificent display of atlethicism from the god fearing gaels on both sides, the referee was quite clearly, in full view of the cameras, viciously assaulted by Dundalk soccer club hooligans who had stopped off on their way to a national league game against the infamous Shamrock Rovers thugs at Thomas Davis' South Dublin Co Council GAA and other sports municipal grounds.

The question must be asked of TD's and parish priests the length and breath of the country. Is it time to ban soccer forever??




Copyright: Martin Breheney

[ArdeeBhoy]

Er, yes. Of course.

And to be fair, there's plenty who'd hate that lucky shower, who of course have never been anywhere near any soccer ground (Croke Park excluded!).

Maybe the ref (& men in white coats) should stop using H*nry's opticians??

[OneRedArmy]

Grassroots game...honest physical aggression...sure you'd see it in any sport...community spirit...it was the ref's fault...fans have a right to be on the pitch...

Let's see the Jones Rd. PR machine spin into action.

[Spudulika]

Not a fair thread, the match today had a referee who was a disgrace, and his men in white coats should have taken a hammering too! Really sickening and someone with Louth blood, and a cousin in the line up, if I'd been there I'd have taken something to the ref - I just hate when an official is so inept as Sludden was. It was such a sickening thing to watch and even though I'd been forced to watch it online far from home, it did bring back memories of November 2009 and the piece of crud that is Henry. However the GAA at least will look for fair play and hopefully give a replay!

[Spudulika]

Grassroots game...honest physical aggression...sure you'd see it in any sport...community spirit...it was the ref's fault...fans have a right to be on the pitch...

Let's see the Jones Rd. PR machine spin into action.

No need ORA, they've already condemned it and it was slammed -even the studio were told to tame down the criticism of the ref off the air and went on the attack against Louth's profligate shooting - but they couldn't but give final comment to the blatant cheating that triggered it. Imagine if, in Stade de France, they'd actually played the replay on teh big screen of Henry's cheating - I wonder what would have happened!

[Lim till i die]

Er, yes. Of course.

And to be fair, there's plenty who'd hate that lucky shower, who of course have never been anywhere near any soccer ground (Croke Park excluded!).

Maybe the ref (& men in white coats) should stop using H*nry's opticians??


Not a fair thread, the match today had a referee who was a disgrace, and his men in white coats should have taken a hammering too! Really sickening and someone with Louth blood, and a cousin in the line up, if I'd been there I'd have taken something to the ref - I just hate when an official is so inept as Sludden was. It was such a sickening thing to watch and even though I'd been forced to watch it online far from home, it did bring back memories of November 2009 and the piece of crud that is Henry. However the GAA at least will look for fair play and hopefully give a replay!

http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab24/0ompaLoompa/NotSureIfSerious.jpg

[Spudulika]

Lim, cheating is cheating - the idiots who ran after the ref should be banned for life from ALL sports venues, they aren't sports fans and they don't represent anything to do with sport. I was sick, and while I'd love to wallop the ref, I've been in his position and he messed up, simple as. This is where honesty and fair play come in - Henry should have said, oops, I handled it (just as his two team mates - before and after tried to). Sheridan could have said today -I thought I was back playing rugger. But maybe the GAA will do the right thing.

[Lim till i die]

The OP may have been a tiny bit tongue in cheek. ;)

[OneRedArmy]

No need ORA, they've already condemned it and it was slammed -even the studio were told to tame down the criticism of the ref off the air and went on the attack against Louth's profligate shooting - but they couldn't but give final comment to the blatant cheating that triggered it. Imagine if, in Stade de France, they'd actually played the replay on teh big screen of Henry's cheating - I wonder what would have happened!Congrats, you've just justified my point.

[holidaysong]

You weren't far off the mark LTID...

http://www.anfearrua.com/db.asp?a=topicdisplay&tid=860368


Originally posted by Louie Gleeson:
disgraceful attacks on the referee


Yeah, there's a big soccer element in Louth!


A fair few Shinners too I'd hazzard

[ArdeeBhoy]

The OP may have been a tiny bit tongue in cheek. ;)

And so was mine!
;)

Though the comments from the An Fear Rua board are generally more amusing.....

[elroy]

I follow all sports, but football (some call it soccer) is my number one.

I regularly review gaa forums after certain championship games and it amazes me the reaction of gaa fans sometimes. Criticism of any sort is resisted. On the forums (such as posted above) they are already saying these individuals probably have no connection with the gaa and that louth has a big soccer following so the perpetrators in this case must be the soccer crowd.

Wake up lads!! Gaa has its fair share of thugs as much as any other code. In fact, at my attendance at all codes, I have seen more scarier/dodgy incidents at gaa games more than football.

I was in SdeF, we knew from either seeing the incident and/or texts from home that we were cheated out of at least pens that night, but that did not mean we wanted to march on the pitch and hit the ref. Lack of segregation at gaa games is a good thing by and large but isolated incidents are more likely and do happen as a result. Still there is an abject feeling in the gaa that this sort of thing doesnt happen at their games which is ridiculous. No matter how bad a game he had, you cant justify such actions on the ref and also the security around the ref was appalling.

[bennocelt]

I dont see what all the hullalboo was. He fell over the line with the ball in his hand. Wow so what. Whats the difference to that than the great skill of hand passing it into an empty net
The Gah is so funny sometimes

[elroy]

I dont see what all the hullalboo was. He fell over the line with the ball in his hand. Wow so what. Whats the difference to that than the great skill of hand passing it into an empty net
The Gah is so funny sometimes

I think you have a point, there are some very bizarre rules. I seem to recall a goal scored by Tyrone against Dublin back in the final in 1995 disallowed for similar enough reasons i.e. no striking action.

I always understood that you could score a goal by fisting the back to the net or once there is a striking action on the ball. From what im hearing on the radio today, a goal will not be awarded if a player runs across the line with ball in hand (fair enough) but also will be disallowed if the ball is fisted or hand passed to the net.

[Spudulika]

I dont see what all the hullalboo was. He fell over the line with the ball in his hand. Wow so what. Whats the difference to that than the great skill of hand passing it into an empty net
The Gah is so funny sometimes

Go to Ruislip a wee bit Bennocelt, you can't hand pass a goal. The sick thing was it was the 3rd of 3 transgressions that should have been penalised - first a blatant push in the back - by a player standing in the small square, then he carried the ball over the line.

The idiots who ran after the ref weren't sports fans, like the morons who acted the idiot at Oriel, at the Foster-McCracken fight, at the Aussie Open etc etc. It's not right and they should prosecuted properly.

Elroy, anyone I know was still unsure about the handball in Paris until they hit the bars after - and the amount of chaos on the streets as it was meant there was a huge police presence. It's a sickener today as it was on that night in November. And what's worse, Louth have been on the receipt of a large amount of horrible decisions - 1964 was one (also Meath), 1991 with Laois, 1998 when the referee gave Louth a free for a closed fist punch on Stefan White, then as Louth ran forward he took the ball from the Louth player, gave it to the Meath man who passed to Tommy Dowd who stuck it over the bar - Louth lost their lead and by a point in the end. 2006 with Meath (7minutes extra time added when there was no more than 2 to be added so they could score 2 goals to win by a point). There was an incompetent referee today that isn't capable to ref at that level. The worst thing that will happen is the GAA and media will cover up the mistakes by the ref and he won't be dropped (as would be the case in football - well, BUttimer excepted :-) )

[Spudulika]

But anyway, here's hoping for a replay and fines/prison terms for the supporters - and ref.

[Longfordian]

The actions of the Louth fans deserve nothing but condemnation and contempt, five goes and they didn't one proper dig in..

[outspoken]

I have no time for the GAA love the sport but hate the people that run it. Its all about who you are and who you know.

The minute theres an incident like this the GAA try to blame Football fans. And if this was dub fans it would be a different story nothing would be said.

Today on the sunday game they were criticising Louth fans for booing at freetakers but its been done in bigger numbers by Dun fans for years and theres never been anything said other than a great atmosphere on the hill today.

And like someone said earlier ive seen worse incidents at GAA matches than Football matches......one year in croke park their was young lads in the top tier throwing down big steel bolts if they hit someone on the head they'd crack your skull open!!!

But the bottom line is the stewards and Guards were awful but the Louth fans were right to go after the ref their first final in 50 years and they got done by the ref.

[apo11o]

It's always soccer thugs at GAA games that cause the trouble, no God Fearing GAA man would leave Mass on a Sun morning and go to a GAA game and get involved in that sort of thing.

And if it's not soccer thugs it's culchies, well the west brits are well able to start a riot.

[osarusan]

the Louth fans were right to go after the ref their first final in 50 years and they got done by the ref.

wtf? How can you say that?

The ref gets a decision wrong (no matter how wrong, or how important), and you think it's right to go after him throwing punches?

[outspoken]

wtf? How can you say that?

The ref gets a decision wrong (no matter how wrong, or how important), and you think it's right to go after him throwing punches?

yes i do , the bottle been thrown was wrong but apart from that not much happened a few pushes no punches thrown

[Dodge]

yes i do , the bottle been thrown was wrong but apart from that not much happened a few pushes no punches thrown

You mightn't meant o, but you typify GAA fans for me. Horrendous sport watched by peple who think jumping on a pitch, running 50 yards and throwinga shoulder into a ref is OK...

[osarusan]

yes i do , the bottle been thrown was wrong but apart from that not much happened a few pushes no punches thrown
I don't know you at all, but honest to god, I think that's one of the most pathetic attitudes I've ever heard.

[Ari Gold]

Give me a break Dodge with a generalisation like that. Louth brought 25,000 fans today to Croker and created a fantastic atmosphere but 5 or 6 idiots let them down. They should be banned for life no question.

LOI fans slagging off the behaviour of GAA fans is laughable though - we all know you could write a book on certain fans of Bohs, Rovers, Dundalk, etc.

Simple fact is there are bad eggs in all walks of life. I feel sorry for the 99% genuine Louth GAA people today - esp those of the older generations who have waited a lifetime for a chance like today. 50 years of hoping and it taken away from them by one of the worst decisions I've ever seen.

[osarusan]

the idiots who ran after the ref should be banned for life from ALL sports venues, they aren't sports fans and they don't represent anything to do with sport.
They clearly are sports fans, they're Louth fans.

[Ari Gold]

You weren't far off the mark LTID...

http://www.anfearrua.com/db.asp?a=topicdisplay&tid=860368

That thread is more tongue and cheek in response to an obvious wind up merchant - probably from this site! :)

This thread has the real debate:

http://www.anfearrua.ie/db.asp?a=topicdisplay&tid=860361&xpos=0

[mypost]

if I'd been there I'd have taken something to the ref - it did bring back memories of November 2009 and the piece of crud that is Henry. However the GAA at least will look for fair play and hopefully give a replay!

Clever idea to run onto pitches. The GAA have permitted it for 125 years after all.

Couldn't care less who won or what happened. Louth just have to wait another 12 months to try win the All Ireland. It's at least another 3 years before we can qualify for the World Cup Finals.

Frankly, what's more important?

[Spudulika]

Clever idea to run onto pitches. The GAA have permitted it for 125 years after all.

Couldn't care less who won or what happened. Louth just have to wait another 12 months to try win the All Ireland. It's at least another 3 years before we can qualify for the World Cup Finals.

Frankly, what's more important?

For Louth fans? Winning a deserved Leinster title - an All-Ireland would be too much to hope for. Compare the dross and cheating that was the world cup finals (especially the final) to a rollercoaster Leinster Final from yesterday and you have your answer.

Osarusan, they're not fans of any sort - like I said I'd put them in with the idiots who caused trouble at Oriel or any other "event" that attracts such fools. A proper sports fan will feel resentful but will accept that it is sport after all. It was hard to stomach the cheating French in Paris, but as they say, karma's a b@@@h. It just grates that it was Meath yesterday, the most hateful team in football.

[mypost]

When you qualify for the World Cup finals, people across the world sit up and take notice. When counties win the provincial title, the only headlines it makes is in the Echo.

When you're cheated out of the World Cup, there is outrage across the world. When you're cheated out of the provincial title, there is outrage in one county. There is no comparison.

[Dodge]

Give me a break Dodge with a generalisation like that. Louth brought 25,000 fans today to Croker and created a fantastic atmosphere but 5 or 6 idiots let them down. They should be banned for life no question.


Unless Kieran burke was one of those on the pitch having a pop at the ref (and it was far, far, far more than 5/6 BTW) then I wasn't talking about these people. I was talking abotu the people who think its OK to do that. And most of the comments I heard/read have been of ilk "sure the ref deserved it.."

[OneRedArmy]

"A course of action may need to be taken against individuals who transgressed security".

Strong words indeed from Christy Cooney.......!

[OneRedArmy]

For Louth fans? Winning a deserved Leinster title - an All-Ireland would be too much to hope for. Compare the dross and cheating that was the world cup finals (especially the final) to a rollercoaster Leinster Final from yesterday and you have your answer.

Osarusan, they're not fans of any sort - like I said I'd put them in with the idiots who caused trouble at Oriel or any other "event" that attracts such fools. A proper sports fan will feel resentful but will accept that it is sport after all. It was hard to stomach the cheating French in Paris, but as they say, karma's a b@@@h. It just grates that it was Meath yesterday, the most hateful team in football.Why the repeated comparison with Paris? GAA central council Rule 47b(ii) when something untoward happens, immediately equate it with a foreign sport incident under the "sure we're no worse than them" governing principle?!

Most people in the Paris knew what had happened via text and they didn't feel the need to attack the ref.

[Ari Gold]

Unless Kieran burke was one of those on the pitch having a pop at the ref (and it was far, far, far more than 5/6 BTW) then I wasn't talking about these people. I was talking abotu the people who think its OK to do that. And most of the comments I heard/read have been of ilk "sure the ref deserved it.."

Far far far more than 5 or 6? Ok I have looked back at the clip - you have one guy straight after the final whistle while another fan and a number of the players tell him to get lost. Then as the ref makes his way towards the tunnel there are no more than 6 or 7 that get close to the ref.

Where did you read these comments of "sure the ref deserved it"? If you think the majority of GAA fans in this country were not outraged by this and thought the ref deserved it then you are living in your own cloud cuckoo land.

[osarusan]

Osarusan, they're not fans of any sort - like I said I'd put them in with the idiots who caused trouble at Oriel or any other "event" that attracts such fools. A proper sports fan will feel resentful but will accept that it is sport after all.
You see, this is a kind of cop out argument.

"Real sports fans wouldn't do these kinds of things, so therefore anybody who does it can't be a real sports fan."

Real sports fans do behave in this way. These fools that you tak about are GAA fans also, and the fools at Oriel were football fans.

[Spudulika]

You see, this is a kind of cop out argument.

"Real sports fans wouldn't do these kinds of things, so therefore anybody who does it can't be a real sports fan."

Real sports fans do behave in this way. These fools that you tak about are GAA fans also, and the fools at Oriel were football fans.

Cannot agree with you in any way shape or form. A true fan of sports will shout, roar and ultimately turn to his neighbour and just get on with life. People like this have no place in sports and cannot be called sports fans - no matter what event they disrupt. Because if you believe what you've written then the scumbags who decided to make shapes and throw plastic chairs at each other in Melbourne were sports fans there for tennis? Give me a break!

my post, it's the same as asking a Rovers fan if they'd rather the club won the Champions League or Ireland qualified for the World Cup, or less, if Rovers won the League or Ireland qualified for the World Cup - what would your answer be? Objectivity goes out the window when it's your own kith and kin, village, club involved!

[micls]

I think you have a point, there are some very bizarre rules. I seem to recall a goal scored by Tyrone against Dublin back in the final in 1995 disallowed for similar enough reasons i.e. no striking action.

I always understood that you could score a goal by fisting the back to the net or once there is a striking action on the ball. From what im hearing on the radio today, a goal will not be awarded if a player runs across the line with ball in hand (fair enough) but also will be disallowed if the ball is fisted or hand passed to the net.

You can handpass the ball over the bar, but it must be kicked into the goal if it's in your hands.

[holidaysong]

That thread is more tongue and cheek in response to an obvious wind up merchant - probably from this site! :)

This thread has the real debate:

http://www.anfearrua.ie/db.asp?a=topicdisplay&tid=860361&xpos=0

They're in that thread too. They're not all tongue in cheek.



I've just seen these scenes from the GAH today. Could you imagine the likes of this in rugby or in
Thomond Park were the referee is sacrosant.
Louth, I'm sure would have a big soccer element from Dundalk & Drogheda there today. No doubt a Sinn
Fein element involved in it all too.

[osarusan]

People like this have no place in sports and cannot be called sports fans - no matter what event they disrupt. Because if you believe what you've written then the scumbags who decided to make shapes and throw plastic chairs at each other in Melbourne were sports fans there for tennis? Give me a break!


I'm not saying that every incident of violence / trouble at a sports event is caused by genuine fans. I'm sure most events do attract a certain number of idiots.

What I'm disagreeing with the the blanket statement that anybody who does this kind of thing cannot be a sports fan. Like I said, it's a cop out argument used to distance sports fans from such an incident.

Non-sports fans will cause trouble at a game, but real sports fan will do so also. We've already seen comments on this thread from fans condoning what happened in Croke Park as being understandable considering what was at stake.

[Dodge]

Where did you read these comments of "sure the ref deserved it"? If you think the majority of GAA fans in this country were not outraged by this and thought the ref deserved it then you are living in your own cloud cuckoo land.

From friends who follow the game. From reading a couple of message boards. From listening to vox pops on radio. Facebook and twitter types

Granted all rubbishy sources, and in no way am I saying I'm unbiased in this, but there you go. Far more people defended those fans than condemned them. You're a GAA fan so you'd have access to more fans' opinions. Fair enough, you know more than me.

[Ari Gold]

They're in that thread too. They're not all tongue in cheek.

Trust me Corbally Legend is the biggest WUM on that site. He pretends to be a Munster rugby snob and has regular pops at the "GAH" and soccer.

[Réiteoir]

From The Indo today:


An angry spectator was shown confronting Mr Sludden after the final whistle was blown. He had to be escorted off the pitch by gardai, who shielded him from the unruly mob.

A stadium steward who was helping to escort Mr Sludden also had to be treated for injuries after he was struck by a plastic bottle that had been lobbed at the referee during the melee. No one was arrested, but gardai last night said they would pursue any complaints they received in the matter.


:rolleyes:

What the hell were they doing then?

[OneRedArmy]

From The Indo today:



:rolleyes:

What the hell were they doing then?....what the gardai actually said is even more nonsensical. The IT said that the gardai won't take action unless a compliant is made (even though strictly they don't need a complaint to be made to investigate and forward a file). Which pushes the onus on the ref himself to take it forward, which, in my mind, is an absolute disgrace and dereliction of duty by the guards.

[elroy]

In a nutshell, no one is denying there are clowns/idiots/morons following football. Most people can spot them at Ireland/LOI games etc. This is admittedly a generalisation but what I do not like is the element in the gaa that think they are the best fans in the world, there is never any trouble, look at our great amateur ethos and no segregation etc etc.

In reality, the gaa has also got its fair share of morons/idiots etc following the sport. In particular, the lack of respect towards the ref is much higher in gaa than in football imo. Look at you tube, look at the newspapers, you are guaranteed a number of incidents every year where the ref is attacked at a local gaa match. I dont care what the level or prize at stake, attacking the ref at any time in any sport is completely wrong.

Im not in the business of gloating at the gaa's trouble arising from yesterday, I follow the gaa quite a bit but its the ignorance of many of its following to this stuff is appalling. Several excuses like they are not gaa fans, they're probably soccer fans are ridiculous. I have been at plenty of games when tempers get frayed (as they will do in any sport) and the lack of segregation and poor stewarding often leads to very nasty scenes.

No one is saying their sport is better than the other in terms of this behaviour, but the gaa do need to open its eyes to it. They may be an amateur sport in theory but crowds like they command at CP are not amateur attendances and require professional stewarding and control.

[Dodge]

I wonder will the Minister for Justice make as bold statements about this as he did Shamrock Rovers fans....

[mypost]

Cannot agree with you in any way shape or form.

my post, it's the same as asking a Rovers fan if they'd rather the club won the Champions League or Ireland qualified for the World Cup, or less, if Rovers won the League or Ireland qualified for the World Cup - what would your answer be? Objectivity goes out the window when it's your own kith and kin, village, club involved!

Crap.

We haven't won the PD title for years, we've won little enough in that time, and referees decisions have played their part in that down through the years. We didn't invade the pitch to attack the ref. We have to live with it.

You brought up the comparison with what happened in Paris. It's 3 years before we can qualify for the next tournament, in front of a global audience. Everyone saw what happened in Paris. Louth can go back to Croker next year in front of a few thousand people. There's no comparison.

[Schumi]

Cannot agree with you in any way shape or form. A true fan of sports will shout, roar and ultimately turn to his neighbour and just get on with life. People like this have no place in sports and cannot be called sports fans
Why were they there if they're not sports fans? This repeated line of "they're not real xxxx fans" when there's trouble at a match of any sport is daft. Being a sports fan and being a thuggish moron aren't mutually exclusive. Acknowledging that they're fans doesn't detract from criticism of their behaviour or tar every other fan with the same brush.

[Dodge]

Crap.

We haven't won the PD title for years, we've won little enough in that time, and referees decisions have played their part in that down through the years.

Just for the record you haven't won it since 1994, and its the ONLY top level trophy you've won in the last 23 years. Referees have not played a part in this.


Carry on...

[osarusan]

I wonder will the Minister for Justice make as bold statements about this as he did Shamrock Rovers fans....

http://www.irishtimes.com/sports/gaa/2010/0712/1224274552634.html


Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said all “right-minded” people would “have to condemn the scenes on the pitch” when the referee was attacked.

Ahern was reluctant to call for fencing to prevent pitch invasions and accepted “it’s very hard for the authorities to keep people off the pitch”.

“If you start fencing in, then that has a knock-on affect and there had been awful incidents at stadia around the world as a result,” said Ahern, who is a TD for Louth and was at Croke Park to support his county yesterday.

“Lessons have to be learned to see if there is any way of ensuring that the referee and the umpires are protected.

[awec]

From The Indo today:



:rolleyes:

What the hell were they doing then?

Hello to modern policing.

Great, isn't it?

:rolleyes:

[PartySaint]

Comparing this incident to the one up in Oriel a few months back is ridiculous, Attacking a ref for a bad decision is ridiculous how any can condone it is ridiculous/laughable, Louth should be banned from all GAA action for the next 3 for not controlling their fans

Oh and before anyone replies to this, i dont care what you think i F*ucing hate the GAA and would rather have English rule in this country than that lot