A MURDER INVESTIGATION is expected to begin this morning after a young man who was assaulted in Dundalk on Wednesday evening died in hospital from his injuries.

Niall Dorr (18) had been in intensive care at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital since the attack, which took place on Castle Road on the northside of the town shortly after 9pm last night.

He had been walking home with two friends when he was attacked by a gang of seven people, understood to include a woman. The Irish Times reports sources as saying Dorr’s injuries did not show any signs of a weapon being used in the assault, though Gardaí were investigating claims that implements were used.

His two companions escaped serious injury.

Gardaí arrived at the scene of the attack quickly, having been alerted to the altercation by a passing motorist, and carried out technical examinations on cars in the area as well as recovering knives and a sharpening block. An incident room is to be opened

Dorr – a champion kickboxer, who had come second at the World Kickboxing Championships – had earlier that day sat an interview to join the Irish Army, having passed the fitness test previously.

He would have been 19 next week.

Gardaí in Dundalk can be contacted at 042 9388400 or at 1800 666 111.