DUBLIN—The Republic of Ireland’s 0-0 friendly game with Northern Ireland has ended in tragedy as 16 supporters have reportedly lost their lives due to sheer boredom.
Hundreds more injuries were reported both inside the Aviva stadium and for viewers watching at home as the match became the deadliest between the two nations in history. Only supporters who were not paying attention in the first place were left unharmed, according to reports.
Safety concerns dominated the buildup to the game, with additional paramedics and medical services employed by the FAI given the nature of the two teams involved and their known history for producing some of the most boring football known to man. However “no one could have foreseen how bad it would get” according to an Emergency Services representative.
“We just don’t have the infrastructure in place to deal with 10,000 people slipping into comas at the same time,” the rep told RTE News. “Frankly we’re just so lucky that at least Northern Ireland had a few shots on goal or the death toll could have been significantly higher.”
Martin O’Neill was quick to sympathise with the victims and their families but refused to accept his tactics were to blame for their deaths. Instead O’Neill questioned the match officials’ role, asking why the match wasn’t abandoned once the referee saw what was unfolding on the pitch.
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In reaction to the tragic events RTE and Sky announced they will include a “viewer discretion is advised” disclaimer on all future games featuring either team going forward.
Meanwhile FIFA will examine whether or not to keep the two teams apart due in future with one FIFA source admitting: “The last game between these two teams was played behind closed doors and now we know why.”
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