Fans face bus booze fines in North

GAA fans in the North face huge fines if they drink on buses to matches or celebrate with their team on the pitch in from now on.

New legislation, introduced by Northern Ireland Sports Minister Caral Ní Chuilín, covers all sporting fixtures in the six counties. Ahead of the All-Ireland qualifiers this weekend, GAA fans travelling to matches in the six counties from the Republic ofIreland could also be affected by these rulings.

Delegates at last weekend’s GAA Central Council were warned about the legislation whereby fans encroaching on a pitch surface are liable to be fined a four-figure sum and could face a three-month prison term for the offence. However, the difficulty with enforcing the rule was highlighted by Ulster delegates who pointed out that PSNI officers are rarely on duty at inter-county matches in the north. GAA chiefs were still keen to inform delegates of the ruling and outlined that the Government have been asked to adopt similar legislation through the Dáil.