Culture minister: No regrets about football fan 'gouger' comments

Patrick O’Donovan criticised what he called “gougerism and thuggery”, while calling for the FAI to deal with “hooliganism”.

20 February 2026; Fire stewards remove flares from the pitch before the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Dundalk and Drogheda United at Oriel Park in Dundalk, Louth. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Culture minister Patrick O’Donovan has doubled down on his criticism of football fans who threw flares onto the field of a League of Ireland game as "hooligans".

On Friday, Flares were thrown onto a brand-new astroturf pitch at Oriel Park in Dundalk by Drogheda United fans as the two Louth sides faced off in the League of Ireland.