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Dublin: 6 °C Friday 24 May, 2013

Derrytresk worry about media reports on Portlaoise violence

“We wouldn’t want the coverage to mask or influence the investigation,” Derrytresk co-manager Paul Hughes said as the GAA opened an investigation into Sunday’s brawl.

A still from footage of Sunday's violence in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.
A still from footage of Sunday's violence in O'Moore Park, Portlaoise.
Image: YouTube screengrab

MEDIA COVERAGE OF the violence which marred the All-Ireland Junior Football semi-final should not be allowed to influence the GAA’s investigation, Derrytresk’s co-manager Paul Hughes said yesterday.

In an interview with TeamTalkMag website, Hughes said that both Derrytresk and Dromid Pearses will have to accept the Central Competitions Control Committee’s findings, including any punishments that may be handed down.

Derrytresk won Sunday’s semi-final in O’Moore Park by 1-10 to 0-07, but Dromid believe that the match should have been abandoned after a number of spectators in Derrytresk tracksuits jumped onto the pitch to get involved in a fight between players.

Yesterday, the CCCC met to begin their review of referee Francis Flynn’s report as well as video footage of the incident, which occurred shortly before half-time.

While members of the Tyrone GAA community are disappointed with the manner in which the incident has been reported, Hughes said, it was most important that the investigation is not affected by media narratives.

“We wouldn’t want the coverage to mask or influence the investigation that follows or indeed the perception of our club in the run-up to the final,” Hughes said.

There’s some residue of disappointment about the reporting but maybe more so among the people of the area about how some media outlets have told this story but that’s modern society, we can’t do anything about that.

Derrytresk play St Patrick’s Clonbur in the All-Ireland Junior Football Final on 12 February in Croke Park.

Read Paul Hughes’ interview with TeamTalkMag here >

Footage ‘will speak for itself’, as Dromid press for Derrytresk punishment

Spillane: ‘the eye doesn’t lie’ – Derrytresk should be punished immediately

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Comments (12 Comments)

  • Not taking sides here but if the media have video footage surly they are in a pretty good position to report on it and whatever video footage they have should be used as part of the investigation

    Reply
  • Rob 27/01/12 #

    the scenes at the game were terrible – the response from Derrytresk though has been astonishing!!

    regardless of punishments handed down – the clear response from the club to those involved is that they’ll always be welcome in the clubhouse! this is beyond appalling!!

    ps i also think Dromid have been too quick to wash their own hands of the incident – but something has to change here – and quick!

    Reply
  • What absolute tosh from the club. They should put their hands up and start banning some of the tramps that invaded the pitch. At least then they will be seen to be addressing the problem.

    Reply
  • The GAA need to set an example here and come down hard on the scum element that’s creeping into the GAA. Derrytresk should be kicked out of the competition for allowing their fans and substitutes enter the field of play to assault the Dromid players.
    Simples.

    Reply
  • Violence is widespread in the gaa at all levels. Life bans for anyone who behaves in the sort of way. That behaviour isn’t accepted on a street so why on a pitch?

    Maybe a bit of legal action would sort it out and stamp it out at all levels

    Reply
  • The usual attitude so? Ah sher look everyone is against us! Take a look at the video, it doesn’t lie!

    Reply
  • So it wasn’t the players fault its the medias. Funny heard another manager giving out bout the media getting his players banned. And he was from the same county.

    Reply
  • They should be thrown out, but we all know that won’t happen, a complete disgrace on their town, their team, northern GAA and themselves…embarrassing really!

    Reply
    • What’s “northern gaa”? If anything I’d say they are a disgrace to Tyrone gaa. Let’s face it though, the way things are going that could be any team from any county… Look at the Louth-Meath final…

      Reply
  • I saw the footage,not near as bad as its made out,the original incident which caused it was off the ball,what happened after,ive seen worse,dromid were beaten fair and square,get over it ye lost and stop the blame game,it takes two to tango,why didnt they act big and stand up to derrytresk and get on with it?????

    Reply

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