AnnaghRed
23/03/2008, 9:19 AM
BALLYMENA United could face IFA and police investigations after unsavoury scenes marred the end of Saturday's match with Distillery.
Supporters scaled the wall in front of the main Showgrounds grandstand to confront visiting players and referee Mark Courtney at the end of an ill-tempered 2-2 draw which saw two Ballymena players sent off.
Ballymena fans reacted angrily to Distillery's equaliser which came in the TENTH minute of injury time after a serious injury to United goalkeeper Paul Murphy who was stretchered off and taken to hospital suffering from concussion and spasms.
Opposing managers Tommy Wright and Paul Kirk became embroiled in a scuffle which saw players and spectators join in the free-for-all as stewards battled to curtail the mayhem.
Amid the chaos a chair was thrown along, bizarrely, with a joint of MEAT, narrowly missing a crowd of people.
Supporters were also able to break past stewards and go up the players' tunnel before order was restored.
Four cars of armed police arrived at the venue and escorted the referee and his assistants back to the dressing rooms.
The incident will undoubtedly prompt a review of security measures at the Showgrounds on matchdays.
The Warden Street venue is due to host Northern Ireland's under-21 international with Romania this Wednesday and the Irish Cup semi-final between Coleraine and Donegal Celtic on Saturday.
http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news/Chair-joint-of-meat-thrown.3906530.jp
Supporters scaled the wall in front of the main Showgrounds grandstand to confront visiting players and referee Mark Courtney at the end of an ill-tempered 2-2 draw which saw two Ballymena players sent off.
Ballymena fans reacted angrily to Distillery's equaliser which came in the TENTH minute of injury time after a serious injury to United goalkeeper Paul Murphy who was stretchered off and taken to hospital suffering from concussion and spasms.
Opposing managers Tommy Wright and Paul Kirk became embroiled in a scuffle which saw players and spectators join in the free-for-all as stewards battled to curtail the mayhem.
Amid the chaos a chair was thrown along, bizarrely, with a joint of MEAT, narrowly missing a crowd of people.
Supporters were also able to break past stewards and go up the players' tunnel before order was restored.
Four cars of armed police arrived at the venue and escorted the referee and his assistants back to the dressing rooms.
The incident will undoubtedly prompt a review of security measures at the Showgrounds on matchdays.
The Warden Street venue is due to host Northern Ireland's under-21 international with Romania this Wednesday and the Irish Cup semi-final between Coleraine and Donegal Celtic on Saturday.
http://www.ballymenatimes.com/news/Chair-joint-of-meat-thrown.3906530.jp