Punch-ups mar Wicklow quarter-finals

A TOP-of-the-bill SFC quarter-final between county champions Rathnew and Blessington was marred by ugly scenes at Aughrim yesterday.

Near the end of the game players from both teams flailed into each other with the champions leading 2-4 to 0-8. Most of the players got sucked into the free-for-all, in which punches were thrown liberally, after it apparently started with a Blessington player and was fuelled when the Rathnew goalie came off his line to get involved.

The row lasted eight minutes and eventually, when the referee appeared to have order restored, he sent off a player from each team before restarting the match.