Teen arrested as massive brawl between football fans spills on to major Dublin road

One teenager was arrested before a League of Ireland match on Monday after a public brawl kicked off between Shelbourne and St. Patrick’s Athletic fans close to Tolka Park stadium in North Dublin.

Gardaí were out in force at the match, as thousands were in attendance for the crucial Dublin derby between league leaders Shelbourne and Stephen Kenny’s St. Pat’s side.

Before the match could kick off at 7.15, dozens of supporters flocking down the busy Drumcondra Road started fighting, with gardaí seemingly unable to separate the sides for a short time.

In video footage of the fight circulating online, dozens of men, presumably aged from their early teens to their forties, threw punches and kicks at each other, first on the path, and then in front of dozens of cars and even a bus on the busy southbound road.

At one point, a group of at least ten seem to assault one man, with several punches thrown at his head as he backs off the road from the attackers.

Gardaí revealed that one teenager was arrested at the scene, but no other arrests were made.

“Gardaí responded to a public order incident on Drumcondra Road Upper, Dublin 9 on Monday evening,” gardaí said in a statement.

“One male juvenile was arrested. He was later released pending the submission of a file to the Garda Youth Diversion Bureau,” a garda spokesperson said.