Gardaí arrest two after car chase ends outside GAA stadium surrounded by thousands of fans

By Eoin English

Two men have been arrested in Cork this afternoon after a car, which was being pursued by gardaí, crashed outside the Pairc Ui Rinn GAA stadium as fans were arriving for a county championship double-header.

The incident unfolded around 2pm as gardaí were responding to reports of suspicious activity in the Ballyphehane area of the city.

Gardaí spotted two men known to them in a car which set off at high speed through several suburbs on the southside of the city.

The gardaí set off in pursuit of the car which eventually crashed into a lamp-post and another car which was parked outside Pairc Ui Rinn on the Boreenmanna Road.

Pic: Howard Crowdy.

The incident happened as thousands of GAA supporters were arriving at the stadium for the first of two senior county hurling championship games in the stadium this afternoon.

The Evening Echo Women's Mini Marathon was also taking place nearby, and thousands of competitors were walking home.

Miraculously, nobody was injured in the incident.

The two men were arrested at the scene. There was severe traffic congestion in the area for some time afterwards.