A mass brawl erupted before today’s Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter final, with over a dozen players from each side becoming involved in the ugly scenes.

Armagh won the game 0-12 to 0-9 but the major talking point from the game will be the violence before throw in, which saw punches thrown by both sides and young members of the marching band running to escape the brawl.

Caolan Rafferty hit the net for Armagh in a game charged by the pre-match controversy.

Cavan's Martin Dunne was unable to play after picking up an injury in the brawl, however no players were sent off by referee Marty Duffy.

The violence broke out during the pre-match parade, when players from both Cavan and Armagh clashed at the Athletic Grounds. There appears to have been an issue over the Armagh team standing behind the Cavan flag during the parade.

An Ulster Council statement said the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee will “view the referee's report and any action will arise from the findings".

GAA president-elect, and Cavan man, Aogan O’Fearghaill commented on the scenes, saying the brawl was “unsightly...and not something I would welcome at all.”