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**Chaos at Louth Derby**: 12-Year-Old Drogheda UTD Fan Injured By Flare at Oriel Park - 23/02/2026
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A 12 year old Drogheda United fan ended up in the Emergency Department of Our Lady of Lourdes hospital in Drogheda on Friday night, after he was struck by a flare fired from the Away fans end at Oriel Park during the Louth derby.
The boy sustained burns to his face and hand but was not hospitalised.
During the game flares were fired at the newly laid artificial playing surface leaving over 30 burn marks, which may see the Boynesiders sanctioned in the coming days. Before the match, flares had been fired when rival fans clashed outside Clarke train station on the Carrick Road.
We were joined on The Agenda this morning by LMFM's Pat O’Shaughnessy, who is a friend of the family of the young boy who was hit by the flare, and he told us more about what happened and about how the boy is doing.
We spoke to by CEO of Dundalk FC, Joe McGuinness.
We were also joined by eye-witness Patrick O’Connor, who says himself and his children were in the middle of it as the flares were being thrown, and we spoke to Barry Kenny from Irish Rail, who told us all about the damage that was caused at the train station by the flares.
We also heard from Sin Fein TD for Louth, Ruairi O Murchu, who is questioning the level of security at these matches and how to stop this happening again in the future
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