Wicklow Club Football in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again!!!

Langerland

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/six-sent-off-in--wicklow--brawl-1734787.html

SIX players were sent off following a vicious row between rival players 10 minutes from the end of a Wicklow Senior League match on Saturday evening.

A Stratford player ended up in hospital after being knocked out, while one from Rathnew lost two teeth.

The row flared when a Stratford defender shipped a high tackle on his own '45 and a Rathnew player was struck as a consequence, resulting in up to 20 players from the two teams getting involved in an unseemly fracas.

"It was one of the worst incidents I have seen at a match in a long time, with punches flying in from all sides and angles," said a witness.

"Blood was spilled as the fighting spread from the '45 to the 14-metre line and it lasted for several minutes."

When the mayhem was finally halted, three players from Stratford and two more from Rathnew were lying on the ground.

An ambulance had to be called for one of the Stratford players because he was in such distress and then another ambulance was summoned in order for their crew to provide assistance in getting him onto a stretcher.

The match eventually resumed after a 25-minute delay -- but only after referee Eddie Leonard had shown a straight red card to six players -- three from each team.

Stratford, who eventually won the match 1-13 to 0-9, resumed with 12 players, but Rathnew were down to 11 as one of their defenders had been red-carded 12 minutes into the second half following an off-the-ball incident.

Sounds like a brutal fight by all accounts. Is the GAA (or in this case the wcc) doing enough to stamp this kind of behaviour out? What kind of example is it setting for young players to see and read this?

Mushy

Two very physical teams where it got the better of them. Should be a big investigation into it, large suspensions will be handed out. Ridiculous carry on.

joey54

Was there a similar case like this in Wicklow only not so long ago? I may be thinking of another one. No player should be the victim of assault when playing a game for the love of it.

The GAA are going to need to punish this one and send out a stern message that it wont be tolerated. Its such a pity that incidents like this will overshadow events like yesterday.

Mushy

There was a massive brawl between Bray Emmets and Carnew in the Championship bout 3 years ago. Cant remember what happened there.

Marse

I've heard before that there is a feud between certain clubs in Wicklow that boils over allot when they meet.

joey54

Marse wrote: »

I've heard before that there is a feud between certain clubs in Wicklow that boils over allot when they meet.

It really needs to be stamped out a this stage.

Charlie Meadows

Glenealy v Carnew in the county hurling final in 2004 - total free for all. If I recall, pretty much the entire squads and coaching staff etc from both sides were involved, including one player who'd gone off with a broken arm. Then there was Glenealy v Pats a few years after but I think that was an after match fracas involving supporters (I'm open to correction).

Is it a co-incidence that much of it involves either Rathnew in the football or Glenealy in the hurling? Two neighbouring villages sharing players between the two teams etc... Maybe I'm being harsh on them though!

Mushy

Charlie Meadows wrote: »

Glenealy v Carnew in the county hurling final in 2004 - total free for all. If I recall, pretty much the entire squads and coaching staff etc from both sides were involved, including one player who'd gone off with a broken arm. Then there was Glenealy v Pats a few years after but I think that was an after match fracas involving supporters (I'm open to correction).

Is it a co-incidence that much of it involves either Rathnew in the football or Glenealy in the hurling? Two neighbouring villages sharing players between the two teams etc... Maybe I'm being harsh on them though!

They don't actually share too many players, from my re-collection, its only one, that being Leighton Glynn. May be one or two more, but thats it. But yeah, all trouble seems to come from same teams here.

Langerland

Mushy wrote: »

They don't actually share too many players, from my re-collection, its only one, that being Leighton Glynn. May be one or two more, but thats it. But yeah, all trouble seems to come from same teams here.

As in County Wicklows G.A.A. Ambassador?! Ironic.... (although I know he does not get involved in that stuff....unfortunate though all the same)

jellybaby21

The Rathnew player that put the Stratford player in hospital was not one of the players sent off, which is a disgrace because this is what started the whole brawl in the first place.

The county chairman has come out and said the clubs will not be punished which is wrong also.

How is this ever going to be stamped out in GAA??

Dock them league points or take away their home advantage for next years league and/or a big fine.

future_plans

I heard that all these players were only getting 1 month bans, no action against the clubs and it's all hunky dory!! Just pretend it never happened

Mushy

jellybaby21 wrote: »

The Rathnew player that put the Stratford player in hospital was not one of the players sent off, which is a disgrace because this is what started the whole brawl in the first place.

The county chairman has come out and said the clubs will not be punished which is wrong also.

How is this ever going to be stamped out in GAA??

Dock them league points or take away their home advantage for next years league and/or a big fine.

Typical. Oh so very typical. Although I do know the ref has a large part to play in the county board too, suerly something can be done.

jellybaby21

The refereeing in the county is by all standards 'shocking'.

Now I'm not blaming the ref for what happened on Saturday either.

They are grown men not children playing football.

There was another match on saturday in Wicklow with alot of bad tackles that could have escalated into more because the referee was afraid to do anything about it ecause the home team had warned him he would be lucky to get out of the pitch alive.