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GAA Says Arrests Made After Brawl Between Armagh And Monaghan Fans On Hill 16

1 July 2023; Supporters on Hill 16 before the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship quarter-final match between Armagh and Monaghan at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Piaras O Midheach/Sportsfile
Eoin Harrington
By Eoin Harrington
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There was high drama at Croke Park on Saturday evening, as Armagh and Monaghan faced off in an Ulster derby All-Ireland quarter-final.

Throw-in was at 6pm, but the game lasted almost three hours after extra-time and penalties were needed to separate the teams.

Though it was a cagey affair at times, there was plenty of incident and controversy throughout, including yet another failure of the Hawkeye system.

Armagh's Rían O'Neill must have thought that he had won the day for Armagh with his score deep into extra-time, before a free from Conor McManus at the other end levelled things up right at the death.

Monaghan would ultimately win out on penalties, handing Armagh their third championship shootout loss in little over a year, and sending the Farney Army into the last four.

However, the scenes on the pitch were marred by those on Hill 16. In the hours since the game's conclusion on Saturday night, footage has emerged which shows a brawl breaking out between groups of Armagh and Monaghan supporters.

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GAA: Armagh v Monaghan brings brawl on Hill 16

Armagh v Monaghan may not have had the highest quality of football of any champiosnhip game this summer, but it was certainly high on drama, and the fans in Croke Park were treated to a memorable quarter-final.

However, a small section of fans on Hill 16 chose to spoil the occasion for those around them, as footage from the stand shows.

A video clip circulating on social media shows a group of fans of both Armagh and Monaghan throwing punches on the Hill, with several supporters knocked to the ground and either flinging themselves across barriers or being knocked over them.

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The group of fighting supporters in the clip appear to all be men, some as young as seeming to be in their early 20s. Surrounding fans plead with the group of brawling men to break up the fight and, after a short period, the clash dissipates.

Thankfully, it appears from the video footage that there were no serious injuries in the melée, but the scenes are deeply disappointing, and somewhat spoil what had been a dramatic evening of championship action.

A GAA spokesperson told the Irish Independent that 'several arrests' had followed the 'unacceptable' incident.

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"The twitter images in circulation represent unacceptable behaviour from a small number of Armagh and Monaghan supporters. The incident was monitored closely by the stadium events team at the time and there were several arrests and ejections from the terrace.”

“Terraces are an important part of the atmosphere associated with GAA games. They feature all over the country and provide colour, noise, and affordable tickets. This type of behaviour, if left unchecked, could ultimately lead to the iconic Hill 16 converting to an uncovered stand.”

“We appeal to all our great supporters not to let a small group of people take away an important part of our heritage.”

SEE ALSO: Brian Dooher Hints At Tyrone Departure After All-Ireland Exit

 

 

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