Officials meet after Laois brawl

LAOIS officials met last night to discuss their response to Saturday’s disgraceful scenes at an U21 championship semi-final replay in which a player was knocked unconscious.

St Joseph’s/Barrowhouse’s Paddy Fleming was the player in question. The full-back lost consciousness temporarily when an ugly brawl broke out with less than 10 minutes remaining and Portlaoise leading by nine points to five. The game was subsequently abandoned.

Fleming subsequently came to on the pitch but was taken to Portlaoise General Hospital by ambulance for examination and was released later that night.

The violence erupted shortly after Portlaoise’s Cahir Healy and St Joseph’s Donie Kingston were sent to the line for what one source at the game described as a “harmless enough incident”.

Only one yellow card had been produced by experienced referee Eddie Whelan of Killeshin up to that point, in what was described by the same source as a “typical, tough hard game for that time of year”.

What followed was anything but harmless and both clubs can expect hefty fines and suspensions.

It also appears that the game was captured on video.

One club official claimed the lack of yellow cards was actually a contributing factor to what happened however, saying that a stronger show of discipline earlier in the game could have nipped any trouble in the bud.

A Portlaoise mentor and a second St Joseph’s player were also dismissed after the row had simmered down and officials at both clubs accept that they must now take their medicine after what is another embarrassing episode for a county with an unenviable disciplinary record.

The latest incident comes just over two years after Camross and Castletown were thrown out of the county hurling championship — but were later re-instated — after a senior quarter-final tie was marred by a 20-man brawl which gardaí were called to defuse.

That incident followed on just 10 months after the county final between the same two sides when 15-year-old Dean Delaney was knocked unconscious after similarly disturbing and controversial scenes.

Supporters were also involved in the Castletown-Camross fracas two years ago and, although scuffles also took place between fans at the same juncture on Saturday, it appears that might have been a separate incident. With just one week to Christmas, the timing of this incident could hardly be worse for county officials, especially in view of the fact that 12 of the 13 positions on the county executive changed hands in the recent county convention.

Brian Allen, formerly vice-chairman, has assumed the main chair from Dick Miller and the Trumera man could hardly have asked for a more tricky beginning to his period in charge.

The county executive was already due to meet last night, regardless of the events on Saturday, while Portlaoise also brought forward a meeting of their own by 24 hours to last night for logistical reasons.

“We are disappointed that we let our discipline away like that,” said one club source. “We were pulling away for the win at the time and it was an unfortunate situation. Neither side is proud of it.

“We are not happy as a club that we stooped to those standards, but we will work with St Joseph’s and the county board to do whatever has to be done. We will be men enough to hold our hands up.”

The final, for which The Heath Gaels have already qualified, was due to be played on Saturday.