Avoca Man 'Killed In Football Row'

The man found dead in a Co Wicklow town on Sunday is thought to have died as a result of a row over football.

The body of the man has been found in Avoca village outside Fitzgerald's pub on the Main Street shortly after 9pm.

It is believed the 48-year-old man, named as Brian 'Brier' Doyle, was struck during a heated argument over the televised Premier League derby clash between Liverpool and Everton.

Gardai believe that one punch was thrown and bachelor Mr Doyle fell to the ground and sustained a serious injury to his head.

The incident followed an argument between two men who had earlier been in a crowd of customers watching the derby fixture on television. The two were understood to be rival soccer fans.

A woman who was driving through the village alerted gardaí to the man's body.

The emergency services had attempted to resuscitate Mr Doyle but he was pronounced dead at around 9.45pm.

A post mortem has been carried out by the Deputy State Pathologist. Gardaí are expecting the results to confirm that Mr Doyle had died from hitting his head on the ground.

All access to Avoca village was restricted yesterday and motorists were forced to avoid the village as major traffic disruption occurred in the area.

Gardaí said they were anxious to talk to anyone who was in the pub from about 3pm onwards until about 10pm or 10.30pm, particularly those who might have any information about the events leading up to the incident, either inside or outside the pub.

Officers also asked motorists, who travelled through the village at the time of the incident to contact them at either Avoca or Arklow stations, or on the confidential line, 1800 666111.

(DW/BMcC)