VIDEO footage has emerged of players and supporters at a GAA match in Co. Down over the weekend fighting on the sidelines.

Scenes of violent clashes during a GAA game in Northern Ireland were filmed and uploaded to social media over the weekend.

Longer video here. The two clubs are Ballyholland and Downpatrick pic.twitter.com/luga7c5FUm — Colm Parkinson (@Woolberto) October 7, 2018

The incident took place at a club game between Russell Gaelic Union Downpatrick and Ballyholland Harps GAC at Kilcoo yesterday.


The game was a Division 1 fixture of the Down GAA All County Football League.

The original fixture had been abandoned after a player received a head injury.

The footage shows players from both sides running from the pitch to confront supporters.

The brawl that ensued spilled out on to the nearby car park and lasted several minutes.

A woman in the background of the video can be heard saying that this is not the first time that both sides have fought.

Downpatrick won the game by 1-11 to 1-8 when it eventually resumed.

The incident marks the fifth straight week of violence at GAA events in the Ulster province.


The brawl follows a string of similar incidents with Slaughtneil and Ballinderry Shamrocks clashing in a Derry reserve Gaelic football Championship earlier this week while an intermediate first-round tie between Strabane and Stewartstown of Tyrone was also marred by violence last month which led to a series of bans.

Pressure is now being put on the GAA to bring in rules to prevent such violence.

The annual GAA congress takes place in early 2019, with new President John Horan sure to face questions.