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Fury
at attack on Monaghan fans after Down Game - 10/06/03
2003
Ulster Football Championship - 1st Round
Down
1-12 v Monaghan 0-013 
@ 3.30 p.m. Casement Park, Sunday 8th June 2003
There was widespread anger in Monaghan
at the treatment meted out to their supporters who travelled
to Belfast for their championship game against Down on Sunday,
8th June. Traffic chaos lead to thousands missing the first
half of the game and then those same supporters having to
undergo a series of sectarian attacks on their way back
to Monaghan.
The switchboard at Northern Sound Radio,
the local Cavan/Monaghan station was jammed with callers
today, Monday 9th, complaining about the series of incidents
that left children traumatised and one person being referred
to the Mater Hospital in Dublin as a result of an eye injury
that she suffered in an attack on the bus in which she was
a passenger. The attacks happened as busses made their way
back towards Monaghan having left the M1 motorway at the
Portadown exit as stones, bottles and chairs were thrown
at the bosses.
The most dangerous and potentially lethal
attack however came from a group of youths who used a catapult
to fire large ball bearings at the bus windows as they were
stopped at traffic lights. Other supporters were subjected
to wanton vandalism as cars were damaged in Belfast during
the game and there was no apparent police presence or no
effort to offer any level of protection. The only police
presence was in issuing summonses to drivers who used the
hard shoulder on the gridlocked motorway and in towing away
parked cars.
A representative of the PSNI refused to
comment directly to local radio on the allegations but said
that a statement would be issued in due course. The management
committee of Monaghan County Board will be discussing these
matters at its next meeting and it is expected that a formal
complaint will be lodged with the authorities.
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