Feud may be behind car crash chaos in Ballyphehane on Tuesday 

Feuding criminal factions are believed to be behind Tuesday evening’s armed assault and car chase through a Cork suburb.

An incident on the northside of the city on Tuesday morning may have sparked the violence in Ballyphehane later that day.

Following this earlier incident, a number of masked suspects are understood to have crossed the river to the southside of Cork city on a manhunt, armed with implements believed to include metal bars and wooden bats.

They located a man in his 20s in the Pearse Rd area of Ballyphehane, near a home which had been hit by a petrol bomb earlier this year. The man in his 20s escaped the scene, and a car chase ensued, culminating in a crash at the gates of Virgin Media Park.

The man in his 20s then suffered a serious assault and was hospitalised for his injuries.

He has since been released from hospital, it is understood. Some locals are now concerned about a possible repeat of Tuesday’s violence.

Gardaí responded quickly and in large numbers on Tuesday when they received calls about a suspected car chase in the Cork southside suburb.

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, who lives in the area, is now calling for an ongoing increased garda presence in the area to prevent any further escalation of the violence.

Mr Ó Laoghaire is also urging anyone with information on Tuesday’s incident to come forward to gardaí.

“The community in Ballyphehane is naturally still very worried, and I do think it is in need of reassurance,” Mr Ó Laoghaire said.

“Clearly there is a lot of concern about a potential reoccurrence of something of this kind — this is a very settled and tight-knit community, so this has come as a huge shock.

“I do think it’s really important that there is a continued high visibility Garda presence to ensure that there are no further incidents, and a quick response if anything does develop.

“I would also repeat that it is important that people involved in criminal action face justice, so if people have information they should come forward and supply that information to the gardaí.”

The drama began on Tuesday night after gardaí received reports that two vehicles were being driven erratically, near Virgin Media Park at 8.08pm on Tuesday.

A black Hyundai Tucson, which had been stolen from Cobh and was being driven under false licence plates, then crashed at the entrance gate to the stadium.

Gardaí then received a further report, at about 8.30pm, that an injured man was walking along Pearse Road in Ballyphehane.

Gardaí believe he had been assaulted after being chased in the vicinity of Virgin Media Park. The suspects are understood to have fled the scene in a dark-coloured Audi.

Gardaí believe the violence on Tuesday evening may be linked to a series of incidents involving criminal damage, including suspected arson attacks on property and vehicles at Pearse Rd and at a separate address in Brookwood, Ballyphehane, in May.

Gardaí are harvesting CCTV and are calling for witnesses or anyone with video footage from the area on Tuesday evening to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.