Gardai investigating mass brawl at underage GAA game which former GAA president slams as disgraceful
The under-15 game between Ballygunner and Na Risigh was staged in the Mount Sion club but was called off after the incident
Gardaí are investigating a brawl which caused an underage hurling match in Waterford to be abandoned on Monday night. The under-15 game between Ballygunner and Na Risigh, which was staged in the Mount Sion club, was called off after a large-scale melee involving players, team managements and spectators broke out.
Footage of the unseemly scenes have been widely circulated on social media. Gardaí have said that they are “investigating a reported assault at a sportsground in Waterford city on Monday evening, July 15” and that “investigations are ongoing”.
The Waterford county board and its underage wing is awaiting the referee’s report on the game, and in the meantime has said: "Waterford GAA and Bord na nÓg will not be in a position to comment on the game in question until the referee’s report has been received and the process has been completed."
The referee has three days from the date of the game to submit his report but, given the circumstances, will be expected to file it as early as possible.
"There is a gardai investigation here so we have to be careful what we say, but it is a very serious incident," former GAA president Nickey Brennan told RTE. "The fact that it involved underage players, obviously adults got involved in some way or another. Waterford GAA will deal with this matter once they are in receipt of the referee's report.
"It's disgraceful, there is no other way to describe it. Thankfully it's very rare.
"It's very unsatisfactory and it's not what indicitave of the good standards that are down there in Waterford GAA.
"It has to be dealt with now with the Gardai and the GAA authorities."
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