Young fan 'shook' as Louth clubs to meet on flares

Dundalk FC CEO Joe McGuinness has said that the club would be reviewing what security measures they may employ for games at Oriel Park after a 12-year-old young supporter was left "shook" having been struck by a flare thrown by Drogheda fans at the start of Friday's Louth derby.

It was one part of a series of incidents that marred the encounter, which ended 1-1, leading to both clubs issuing a joint statement of condemnation on Sunday, with a meeting between the rivals planned for Tuesday.

There was trouble before the game with fans clashing outside Clarke train station, while after the match, gardaí arrested a man in his 20s after responding to a report of a public order incident on Carrickmacross Road.

Inside the stadium, several flares were thrown by the Drogheda fans onto the newly relaid artificial surface, causing multiple burn marks and significant damage to the pitch.

Speaking to RTÉ Radio 1’s Morning Ireland, McGuinness provided an update on the child who suffered burns to his face after he was struck by one of the flares.

"We haven't heard anything directly," he said of how the child is recovering.

"We have heard that the chap was quite shook and as each flare went off, (he) was shaking, etc, so he was quite shook."

"It happens on a regular basis and we always condemn it," McGuinness added of flares appearing at Oriel Park.

"We have a no pyro policy and the FAI have the same as well. But the incident with the young chap just confirms the danger that can happen from these incidents and that wee chap was there supporting his own team."

The flares thrown at the start of the game caused damage to Dundalk’s new 3G surface – unveiled in a pre-match ceremony - with assessment work on how much repair work will cost to continue today.

McGuinness said it will be "significant" and elaborated on the damage the pitch suffered.

"We have suffered, we think, probably about 51 scorch marks on the pitch of various depths, so it's quite significant what has been done to the pitch."

He also said that the club would be considering all options to deal with such incidents moving forward with Dundalk and Drogheda officials set to meet on Tuesday.

"The feeling is a combination of frustration and also being gutted as well.

"We had a huge amount of volunteer effort to get the ground ready for the season and it was the volunteers that I felt particularly sorry for it. Obviously, the young chap first, but the volunteers in particular, they put great effort into it.

"But we were going to have to review what mitigations are put in place, whether they're physical mitigations or whether they're security mitigations, because we have that liability of a 3G pitch that needs to be protected.

"Rivalry is part of what makes fixtures between Dundalk FC and Drogheda United FC so special," the joint statement from the clubs read.

"But it must always remain passionate, respectful and safe. There is no justification for actions that put lives at risk or damage facilities used by young people and the wider community.

"Both clubs will fully cooperate with An Garda Síochána in relation to any investigation and will engage constructively with the FAI disciplinary process. Dundalk FC is currently assessing the full extent of the damage caused, and appropriate steps will be taken in response.

"Both clubs call on their supporters to stand together in rejecting this behaviour and to ensure that future fixtures are remembered for the football on the pitch, not incidents off it."

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