GARDAÍ BELIEVE THAT the death of a man in Avoca, Co Wicklow, on Sunday night was the result of an assault following a disagreement about a soccer match.

The victim, 48-year-old Brian Doyle from Kilmagig, died after he was punched in the head outside Fitzegerald’s pub on Main Street at about 9.30pm, the Irish Times reports.

Doyle had arrived at the pub at about 3pm on Sunday and watched a Liverpool vs Everton football match there. At about 9pm, he stepped outside to have a cigarette.

Shortly after getting into a discussion with others gathered outside, Doyle was struck and fell to the ground. Gardaí are investigating whether Doyle was also hit by a car as he lay on the ground.

A passing motorist saw a man lying on the ground and called the emergency services. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate Doyle but he was pronounced dead at 9.30pm.

Last night the Deputy State Pathologist, Khalid Jabbar conducted a post mortem to determine whether Mr Doyle had died from hitting his head on the ground.

The authorities are working on a definite line of inquiry and say they believe they know who is responsible for assaulting Doyle.

Gardaí have asked that anyone who was in Fitzgerald’s Pub from 3pm to around 10pm on Sunday come forward.