Newry cup tie degenerates into fisticuffs, kicking and worse! LATEST!
The JJB Sports Irish Cup match between Newry City and Larne was abandoned after serious fighting between players and coaching staff late in the game.
Punches and kicks were traded in the Newry dugout and across the pitch after two Larne players and Larne manager Paul Millar had been sent-off.
Newry were leading 2-1 before referee Raymond Crangle and his assistants walked off the pitch after 82 minutes.
Crangle will now submit a report to the Irish Football Association.
Liam Hogan was sent-off for raising his hands to Newry player Darren King and then Alan Reid was dismissed for a challenge on King soon after.
Larne boss Millar was sent from the dugout and then substitutes, players and coaching staff from both sides became embroiled in trading punches and kicks all over the pitch.
BBC Radio Ulster pundit Alan Patterson described the trouble as “the worst scenes I have ever seen in 40 years of watching Irish League football”.
Newry boss John McDonnell said the unsavoury events had “kicked off out of nothing”.
“It is was not nice what happened – I tried to get my players off the pitch as quickly as possible,” said McDonnell.
“We were cruising with seven or eight minutes to go and I’d like to be talking about a cup win but instead we have to wait on the referee’s report.”