One of the biggest games of the Tyrone county GAA calendar was marred by violence on and off the field at the weekend.
GAA chiefs have launched an investigation after several spectators were injured during Sunday's county football league final.
A mass brawl broke out on the field in the closing minutes of the game and violence then erupted in the stands.
The match between Dromore and Carrickmore was held up for around ten minutes before play eventually resumed.
County champions Dromore eventually won the game 0-11 to 0-6. It was played at Dunmoyle near Ballygawley.
Carrickmore players Gabriel McCallan and Plunkett McCallan were sent off following the mass brawl on the pitch. However, eyewitnesses said that several spectators were nursing bloody wounds.
Tyrone GAA public relations officer, Damien Harvey, acknowledged that the scenes "were not pleasant viewing." He confirmed that the county's competitions control committee would investigate the disturbances after receiving the referee's report.
"The county's CCC (competitions control committee) which is a sub-committee independent of the county board will take any necessary action after studying the referee's report," said Harvey.
Tyrone GAA county chairman, Ciarán McLaughlin, added that the involvement of spectators in the disturbances was a worrying
development.
"When something happens outside the perimeter of the field, and spectators become involved, it is very serious," he said.
Earlier this season, a referee was seriously assaulted at a ladies match in Tyrone. As a result, two men, one of them a member of the
Carrickmore management team, received lifetime bans.
Last week the Antrim GAA board issued several hefty bans after a referee was attacked after an Under-21 championship game in Ballymena between Lámh Dhearg of Belfast and Rasharkin.
Ten people received various punishments as a result of that violence, ranging from four-week suspensions to recommended expulsions.
Rasharkin will also be excluded from all competitions, above, but not including, minor level in all GAA codes for one year.
