Dirty TackleIrish fans help find tickets and raise money for Austrians mugged in Dublin
Ahead of the crucial World Cup Qualifier between the Republic of Ireland and Austria at Dublin's Aviva Stadium on Tuesday, two visiting Austrian fans were mugged. On the way to visiting the famous Guinness Storehouse, they had their wallets and matchday tickets stolen by thieves. RTE Sport explains what happened next:
[...] as word of the incident spread on Twitter and Facebook, Irish fans were quick to offer help to the beleaguered Austrians.
Irish fans on the You Boys In Green forums called for a whip around to replace the money that was stolen and the FAI has since stepped in and replaced both tickets.
The money raised by the kindhearted fans is understood to have eclipsed the amount stolen, with the surplus being donated to charity. The Ireland Fans Embassy on Facebook also confirm that some Green Army fans took the time to meet up with the Austrians for a few pints as they recovered from the incident.
Football fans often express an irrational hatred towards their rivals simply because of the place they were born or the arbitrary decision they have made to follow a particular team, so it is certainly nice to hear a story of supporters putting aside their differences to help those in need.