
MLA condemns 'disgusting and disgraceful' clashes surrounding League of Ireland match
Mark Durkan was speaking after the clubs drew 1-1 in their game at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, with clashes between rival fans in the area before, during and after the game.
Police have now launched an investigation and said they believe the clashes were 'pre-arranged'. Two hospitalised
The PSNI said they were alerted shortly after 7pm on Friday of two large groups of rival supporters attacking each other near the Lecky Road flyover with sticks, bats and iron bars.
They also caused damage to buildings and cars parked in the Lecky Road and Lone Moor Road areas.
A teenage boy and a man aged in his 20s were taken to hospital after being injured.
Police said further disorder then occurred in the vicinity of the stadium during and after the football match.
Videos of the clashes posted online also showed one group aiming fireworks at rival supporters.
"We believe that the disorder we witnessed on Friday evening was pre-arranged and we will be reviewing all available footage to identify those involved," said Superintendent William Calderwood. 'Organised attack'
Speaking after the game, Mr Durkan said that someone could have been killed.
"Just back from the Brandywell," said the SDLP MLA for Foyle.
"It is disgusting and disgraceful that so many football fans and families left the match in fear tonight due to violent clashes that occurred outside in what had all the hallmarks of an organised attack.
"Thugs came to Derry masked and armed with an array of weapons.
"Local young people were injured — I hope they recover swiftly.
"This madness must stop before someone is killed.
"It is awful that after what has been such a tremendously positive week for the city through the Foyle Cup, this is what will hit the headlines tomorrow.
"I must commend the efforts of the stewards in the Brandywell who did their very best in extremely difficult circumstances."
Anyone with information or footage that could assist police with their enquiries is asked to contact 101, quoting reference number 1637 of July 25.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
2025 - A super year for football but issues remain
Despite an anti-climactic end to the inter-county season, the 2025 championship will go down as one where Gaelic football recovered its mojo. Reflecting back on the season, there were roughly 15 games which we'll remember as classics. Many of these occurred in the group stages, which are now being put out to pasture. It's a mark of how successful the new rules have been, that people are getting buyer's remorse about a change in format which will mean fewer games next year. Whatever about the issue of jeopardy, this could be a sign that supporters are beginning to enjoy watching Gaelic football for its own sake. Not that there aren't still issues that need to be ironed out. Jim Gavin's FRC is still in place and keeping a watchful eye over the development of the game. There are more sandbox games due and more rule changes being tested. One is the four-point goal, which was probably discarded too early. Goals were slightly up this year, though there were so few in 2024, this isn't much of a boast. In theory, the three-up rule should have led to way more goals given the extra space available. But then, the two-point arc has changed the mindset of teams, making them less likely to seek out goals. We probably need to restore the premium value of the goal. A switch back to a four-point goal would have the added benefit of leaving games more in the balance coming down the stretch. Teams wouldn't be able to rest as easily on leads. Like a lot of supporters, I'd prefer to see more contact in games. The game in 2025 is much more forward-friendly than it was in 2024. Cahair O'Kane of the Irish News suggested that the pitch in Croke Park needs to tightened a few yards to promote more contact. It's notable that the more compelling and intense games happened in tight pitches in the group stages - the Derry-Galway thriller in Celtic Park being the most obvious example. There was a real physical edge to the game, with the ref allowing plenty of contact, which created several turnovers, with Derry ravenously hunting down Galway in the first half in particular. By contrast, the matches in Croker tended to be a bit more sterile, with longer periods of possession play. Personally, I'm still not sold on the hooter, in any guise. The initial hooter rule, where it halted the game regardless of what was happening on the pitch, brought its own problems, as we saw with the controversy over Meath's late winning goal in Mullingar in the league. The change they made towards the end of the league, where the game is over once the ball goes dead, promoted the scenario we witnessed at the end of the first half of the final as Kerry nursed possession until the hooter sounded to ensure they had the final attempt on goal. Call me old-school but I rewind the clock back to 2024 on this one. Bring back injury-time, with the final whistle at the discretion of the referee. We're about to see how the rules will hold up in the maelstrom of the club championship. I can report that it has made the games more enjoyable to play, at least for most players. I myself am still stationed at wing-back and my hamstrings are hanging by a thread. The old repeat sprintability probably isn't what it was. But I'm getting there, I'm getting there... So far, the policing of the three-up infraction has left a bit to be desired. It's been fairly inconsistent and ad-hoc. (If I may say at this point, Westport GAA were especially screwed in this area over the course of the league, although this is probably not the forum for that.) There might be one or two three-up infractions called for every five or six committed. Going back to inter-county, there is a narrative developing that Kerry have laid waste to all their nearest competitors and are primed for a period of dominance. I wouldn't be too alarmist on that, though there's no doubt that they've adapted brilliantly to the new rules, and their age profile is excellent over the next few years. They have probably the greatest footballer of all time in their attack, who looked unstoppable this season. David Clifford cut a very frustrated figure in last year's semi-final loss to Armagh. In the previous game, he was nearly a decoy against Derry, being forced to chase Chrissy McKaigue up the pitch. This year, he was a man reborn. But, against that, they were pushed hard by Cork in Munster and Meath shocked them in Navan. Kerry brought a snarl and a fire to their play that will be hard to replicate in 2026. Much of this year came from the fact that they'd been dissed, in their own county as much as anywhere else. That won't apply next summer. The Ulster teams may be reeling after a chastening season and they may have to reconfigure how they're approaching games in the post-FRC era. Donegal and Armagh adopted a similar defensive approach against Kerry, with the result that they were killed on two-pointers. Tyrone pushed up more and paid more attention to Sean O'Shea and Paudie Clifford but with the result that they left David Clifford in oceans of space inside. They were blessed not to concede more goals. Either way, we have decent evidence that the zonal defences used by Donegal and Armagh have their limitations against teams with a high quality two-point kickers. They may need to re-think what they're doing to better fit with this brand new era. Some counties - Donegal and Mayo in particular - will need to develop a two-point threat. Sunday's final underlined again what a handicap it is not to at least carry the threat of a two-pointer, at least to force opposition defences into making a decision. Kerry will almost definitely start 2026 as favourites and the chasing pack have plenty to think about. But then they have plenty of time in which to think. We'll reconvene in January.


Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
‘It's ridiculous' – Shamrock Rovers manager Stephen Bradley says it's time for FAI to extend length of League of Ireland season
Stephen Bradley believes the FAI must address the 'ridiculous' length of the League of Ireland season with the Shamrock Rovers boss stating that part-time First Division clubs are holding back professional Premier Division sides by preferring a shorter campaign.


RTÉ News
14 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Much-changed Shelbourne exit Champions League but regain pride after narrow loss to Qarabag in Baku
Shelbourne's adventure in the UEFA Champions League came to an end with a 1-0 (4-0 aggregate) defeat to Qarabag at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku. A James Norris own-goal was the Dubliners undoing on a night that saw Wessel Speel announce his arrival at the League of Ireland champions by saving a second-half penalty from Kady. The Reds are now into the Europa League qualifiers and are drawn to play the losers of the tie between HNK Rijeka of Croatia and Bulgarian heavyweights Ludogorets, knowing they are guaranteed a place in the Conference League play-off round. Shels were attempting the impossible trying to overturn a three-goal deficit away from home, and Joey O'Brien kept just three players from the first leg at Tolka Park. Kameron Ledwidge, Kerr McInroy, and Ademipo Odubeko all started on a night that saw Speel make his Shelbourne debut after joining the club on loan from Minnesota United. What played out was a predictable affair, with Qarabag dominating possession and the League of Ireland side focused on keeping it tight while players like Pedro Bicalho and Kady tried their luck early on. The Reds only got forward once by going long and John Martin was able to knock the ball on, but Odubeko was unable to get to it. The Republic of Ireland U21 international did get in to shoot before the half-hour mark and his effort went wide in a rare moment of attacking flurry for the Dubliners. Qarabag retaliated by strengthening their hold over the pace of the game and with that came the opening goal, from a corner and turned in by Norris in the 44th minute. Shelbourne fully went for it after the restart, beginning with a John Martin header getting cleared by the home side. Norris also got through during this burst and set up Kerr McInroy for a shot that went straight at Mateusz Kochalski. At the other end of the pitch, Emmanuel Addai went for goal from distance and was denied by a stern save from Speel in the 59th minute. O'Brien responded by making a triple substitution that bringing on Sean Boyd, JJ Lunney, and Harry Wood for Odubeko, McInroy, and Martin. Qarabağ won a penalty off a Ledwidge handball just as the trio settled and there was relief for Shelbourne as Speel denied Kady in the 68th minute. That was it – there was no great drama as the home side comfortably booked their place in the third round qualifiers. Qarabağ FK: Mateusz Kochalski, Matheus Silva, Bahlul Mustafazade, Kevin Medina (Samy Mmaee 72), Elvin Jafarquliyev (Tural Bayramov 80), Pedro Bicalho, Kady (Olexiy Kashchuk 80), Leonardo Andrade, Emmanuel Addai, Abdellah Zoubir (Chris Kouakou 72), Nariman Akhundzade (Musa Gurbanli 72). Shelbourne: Wessel Speel, Lewis Temple, Sam Bone, James Norris (Evan Caffrey 71), Kameron Ledwidge, Daniel Kelly, Mark Coyle, Elis Chapman (Ali Coote 80), Ademipo Odubeko (Sean Boyd 62), Kerr McInroy (JJ Lunney 62), John Martin (Harry Wood 62).