Protesters throw tennis balls onto pitch, demand Ireland boycott Israel match
Protesters opposed to Ireland playing Israel in the Nations League disrupted Thursday's 2-2 draw with Austria in Dublin, throwing tennis balls bearing Palestinian flags onto the pitch and briefly forcing the match to a standstill.
Referee Allard Lindhout sent players off for a hydration break after the balls landed with Ireland leading 1-0 in the 19th minute, following a brilliant individual goal from Troy Parrott, who had weaved past three defenders before finishing through the goalkeeper's legs.
Play resumed after four minutes, though there was a further brief interruption when a man carrying a Palestinian flag ran onto the pitch before being intercepted by stewards, adding to an already tense atmosphere inside the stadium.
Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson took the disruption in his stride afterwards. "I think it kind of helped us at a good moment. We could have a breather and some drinks. But you're never happy with this, you understand it and respect it," he told RTE.
Parrott doubled Ireland's lead from the penalty spot before the break, but Austria fought back in the second half through Alexander Prass and Michael Gregoritsch to salvage a point, denying the hosts a second win of the window.
The Stop the Game campaign group claimed responsibility at half time, describing the action in a statement as "a token act, deliberately limited, but necessary and done in solidarity with Gavin Bazunu and the people of Palestine facing genocide."
Bazunu, Ireland's reserve goalkeeper, had informed the squad on Saturday that he intended to boycott both fixtures against Israel, prompting hours of deliberation among players before a vote reportedly split 14-8 in favour of fulfilling the games.
He returned to the squad for the Austria match, while Finn Azaz, whose mother has Israeli heritage and who had been left out of the first Israel fixture, started once again having missed that earlier game entirely.
Ireland had already beaten Israel's nominal home fixture 3-0 in Debrecen, Hungary, last Sunday, with players wearing black armbands throughout, before the Football Association of Ireland shifted Sunday's remaining fixture to a neutral, fan free venue in Backa Topola, Serbia.
That relocation followed sustained pressure from campaigners and the FAI's own motion last November urging UEFA to ban Israel from club and international competitions, though the association has resisted calls for an outright boycott, citing the threat of UEFA sanctions.
Ireland, who are due to co-host the 2028 European Championship alongside England, Wales and Scotland, saw fans stage a similar protest with tennis balls during a friendly against Qatar in Dublin back in May.