The Wicklow County Board has issued a statement about the fracas in the tunnel to the dressing-rooms at halftime in the Westmeath-Wicklow match in the National Football League in Mullingar last Sunday. They claim that the Wicklow team were not to blame and some members were in fact assaulted by, among others, members of the crowd who should not have had access to the area.

The Westmeath goalkeeper Dermot Ryan was struck from behind during the incident, and underwent surgery to repair damage to the side of his face. Stephen Byrne of Wicklow, who was also injured at the interval, played on in the second half but later complained of headaches and was taken to Tullamore hospital but was not detained. The team management of the Wicklow side met in Laragh on Tuesday night and issued the brief statement yesterday.

It reads: "Taking into consideration the media coverage of the incidents in and around the `Tunnel Area' in Mullingar on Sunday last, the Wicklow county board, our team and team management are extremely unhappy with the impression given by some sections of the media that our team was in any way instrumental in creating this disturbance.

"We are confident that the video and match officials' evidence will clearly vindicate Wicklow and show how some of our players were assaulted by supporters and others in the entrance to the tunnel.

"Concern was expressed that so many spectators were able to have free access to an area which should be confined to players and match officials.

"The Coisde Condae, the senior team and the team management are anxious that the matter be speedily dealt with by GAC (Games Administration Committee in Croke Park) and are fully confident that Wicklow's good name will be upheld."

Earlier this week the secretary of the GAC, Sean O Laoire, said the matter would be dealt with as soon as possible. The first step is for the referee, Brian Crowe from Cavan, to submit his report and that is expected to happen today.

It is understood the referee did not see the start of the incident but arrived soon afterwards and helped restore order.

A spokesman for the Wicklow County Board, who did not wish to be named, said yesterday that the match had been played in a very sporting manner and he put the blame for the fracas on spectators. "It is ridiculous that spectators and players should be allowed to leave the pitch by the same tunnel. It means that there are times when players have to run the gauntlet through spectators going to the toilets. It is asking for trouble," he said. Meanwhile, the Wexford hurling team to meet Waterford in New Ross on Sunday will not be named until later this week. Martin Storey, Tom Dempsey, Larry O'Gorman, Sean Flood, Declan Ruth and Ger Cush all have flu.

Interestingly, Liam Dunne is likely to be included in the substitutes when the side is chosen. The celebrated defender played all 60 minutes of a practice game between members of the panel last Sunday - his first full game since he broke his leg in October 1997. There is some consternation within the Limerick hurling team following the news that the Limerick County Board have agreed to play Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh should the teams clash in the semi-final of the Munster championship. Limerick meet Waterford in the first round and appear to have entered a home-and-away agreement with Cork should they meet in future Munster championships. The Limerick team and management would reportedly prefer to play Cork at a neutral venue.

All-Ireland football finalists Galway and Kildare will meet again on Saturday to mark the turning on of floodlights at 6.30 p.m. at Sean Tierney Park, the home of the Allenwood club in Kildare.

KERRY (SH v Dublin): J Healy; T Cronin, S McIntyre, M McCarthy; V Dooley, A O'Sullivan, WJ Leen; B O'Sullivan, C Flaherty; I Brick, T Maunsell, M Slattery; C Walsh, T O'Connell, J M Dooley.

LIMERICK (SH v Cork): J Quaid; S McDonagh, B Begley, B Geary; J Foley, D Clarke, M Foley; O Moran, B Tobin; J Moran, TJ Ryan, C Smith; J Butler, M Houlihan, M O'Brien.