Blues 'Beaten' In Dublin

'Blues' management may withdraw the south Belfast-based Linfield team from the all-Ireland Setanta Sports football cup after off-pitch violence erupted in Dublin last night between Blues fans and the police.

Fans from Northern Ireland were among the six people arrested after several disturbances during the match between Linfield and St Pat's Athletic at the Richmond Park stadium in Inchicore.

Four of those held are from Northern Ireland while two are from the Republic, gardai confirmed.

Although there were no serious injuries, one man suffered a bloody nose during a scuffle, and no one had to be taken to hospital.

Linfield club Chairman Jim Kerr insisted those arrested were drunken hooligans who had tagged themselves on to 'true' Blues supporters.

He added the team is now considering its future in the competition to avoid the team's name being dragged through the mud by yobs.

However, the club chief also slammed those who were spoiling for a fight: "I saw people at the grounds I have never seen before in my life being aggressive to security staff. I condemn it utterly.

"Should we continue in Setanta next season then we have to look at busing supporters from Windsor Park... but we will have to look at whether we are going to continue."

He added that violence was also sparked by those holding bogus

tickets: "We insisted members had to have their season tickets with the match tickets. Where these people got these tickets I don't know," he said.

Around 800 Linfield fans descended on Dublin to support the Irish League champions yesterday, and riot officers had put a ring of steel around the ground.

There were dozens of mounted gardai and dog units at the match, which saw Linfield defeated 2-0.

This is the fourth year of the Setanta Cup, with Linfield beating Shelbourne in Dublin to lift the trophy in the first contest.

However, the gardaí dismissed the crowd trouble incidents as "minor public order disturbances", and said they were brought under control very quickly.

(BMcC)