Gardaí in Waterford have condemned drunken scenes of "thuggery" which followed Ireland's draw with Germany in the World Cup on Wednesday.
Sixteen people were arrested for public order offences, and many more are likely to be summonsed as a result of incidents in or near a number of public houses in the city.
In one pub, the Old Stand in Michael Street, a bar stool was put through the screen on which customers had earlier watched Robbie Keane's dramatic last-minute equaliser.
Supt Michael McGarry said the vast majority of people had celebrated the result in a civilised manner, but some had indulged in "disgraceful", drunken behaviour. "It was a shame at a time when people should have been celebrating that this type of thuggery should have taken place," he said.
The unruly incidents began at about 7 p.m. and continued at various locations until 2 a.m. As well as the bar-stool episode, the window of another public house had also been smashed. "You wouldn't see that sort of stuff in the Wild West," he said.
Gardaí were disappointed at what had happened and hoped there would not be a repeat of the incidents on Tuesday, when Ireland play Saudi Arabia in another crucial match. It kicks off at the same time as the game with Germany, 12.30 p.m.
Supt McGarry said the incidents highlighted the undesirability of extending pub opening hours, as some people had demanded before Ireland's opening match against Cameroon, which kicked off at 7.30 a.m. He appealed to publicans not to serve alcohol to customers who were already intoxicated, and to customers to prevent friends from getting out of hand.
Gardaí could, he pointed out, take action against publicans who failed to act responsibly in this regard. "However, I hope we don't have to go down that route," he said. "Hopefully people will be able to enjoy themselves without overindulging in alcohol and spoiling things for everybody."
