Last Friday, a small number of Drogheda United fans threw a barrage of flares onto the brand-new pitch at rivals Dundalk’s home ground at Oriel Park during the Louth derby.

The field was damaged by flares in the incident and a 12-year-old boy suffered burns to his face after being struck by a flare.

It comes as Taoiseach Micheál Martin has overruled calls from the Sport Minister, Patrick O’Donovan, to half funding to the League of Ireland (LOI).

Mr O’Donovan threatened earlier this week to pause funding for astro pitches to all LOI clubs unless the issue of “hooligan” behaviour was addressed to avoid seeing “taxpayers’ money literally going up in smoke”.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Taoiseach said the “other clubs should not be penalised for what happened”.

“There were meetings today. That funding will be restored. The other clubs should not be penalised for what happened.

“Obviously people have to be rigorous and focused on protecting their facilities and this type of behaviour has to be stamped out, there is no question about that, clubs have responsibilities in that regards. But clubs who are operating well in my view should not be punished.”

Meanwhile, speaking earlier this week, Mr O’Donovan said: “I’ve asked the department to pause all astroturf investments into LOI clubs until I get what I would see as a sufficient response from the FAI and the League of Ireland, to not only protect our investment but to protect innocent patrons as well.”

It comes as officials from the FAI and LOI held a meeting on Wednesday with Mr O’Donovan where they agreed to take affirmative action to identify the individual fans responsible, a Government source has said.

Speaking to RTÉ Radio One’s Today with David McCullagh, Mr Dooley said the Taoiseach set out “proportionate and measured response” to the events of last Friday, but also added that he “can understand Minister O’Donovan’s annoyance”.

“I think we all get frustrated when we see any infrastructure, regardless of who pays for it, destroyed just because of those that seek to vandalise public property or private property.

“And I think the way forward is as outlined by the Taoiseach, and I’m sure all are on board on that,” he said.

Mr Dooley added that he “doesn’t believe in the necessity for collective punishment of all clubs”.

“Many clubs do wonderful work, as the Taoiseach has outlined, and we need to support them, but at the same time, we need to target those small number of individuals that are misbehaving.

“The Taoiseach is head of Government, working with the ministers, as they do around the Cabinet table, it’s very clear that there is not meant to be or would not be acceptable to have collective punishment.

“We need to target the activities of the individuals that perpetrated this crime. We will, of course, need the strong support of the FAI in ensuring that Drogheda United steps up to the plate, as I’m sure it will.”

When asked whether Taoiseach has “laid down the law” and Minister O’Donovan has to “toe the line”, Mr Dooley said he “doesn’t think the Taoiseach operates like that”.

“I’ve known him a very long time. I’ve worked closely with him for 25 years. He builds consensus.

“We need a proportionate response to what has happened, and we don’t want other clubs feeling somehow at odds or at a loss as a result of the activities of a small few.

“These are individuals who attend a game to cause trouble. They’re not part of the sporting world. That’s not sporting activity.”

Mr Dooley said he doesn’t think it’s “helpful to start drawing lines like this”.

“I don’t think it’s helpful for a department to issue a statement that seems to suggest that there’s a division here between Minister McConalogue, the Taoiseach and Minister O’Donovan. I certainly doubt that that’s the case.

“The focus needs to be on getting certainty to the clubs who feel that they may be punished for actions outside their control.

“That needs to be clarified very clearly. From my perspective, the Taoseaich has clarified that, and Minister McConalogue likewise.”

This story was amended on February 26, 2026, to reflect it was Dundalk’s pitch damaged, not Drogheda’s.