The true social cost of the infamous 1996 All-Ireland final replay is still being felt.
This week's Mayo News brings us the story of 29-year-old Meath man Sean Fitzsimmons who has been fined €100 by Westport District Court for starting a row in a Westport chip shop over the 1996 All-Ireland final.
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On October 4 last, Garda Darren Conlon observed the defendant behaving in an aggressive manner towards a group of locals in Castlebar Street, Westport at around 4am. Mr Fitzsimmons was invited to move on by the guard and initially did so. However, he proceeded to return for afters.
His solicitor Tom Walsh said the incident started in a chip shop and confirmed the argument with the group was started over the All-Ireland Final in 1996.
Fitzsimmons has been blamed for instigating the row. Though, of course, in another sense, one could also blame Anthony Finnerty for starting the whole thing.
Judge Mary Devins joked that she would give Mr. Fitzsimmons probation were he to donate €100 to the Mayo football team.
However, after reflecting on the fact that he had a previous conviction for a public order offence, she pulled back from this and simply issued a €100 fine.
Naturally, the suspicion remains that were Judge Mary Devins a man named Pat McEnaney, he would have singled out one of the locals and handed him the same fine as Mr. Fitzsimmons.
But that wasn't how it panned out on this occasion.
Read more: "He Was Just Grey With Shock" - The Day Kevin McLoughlin Saved Mayo From Humiliation
