Ireland's clash with Austria interrupted by limited Palestine protests — tennis balls thrown and a pitch invader

Ireland's home Nations League B match with Austria at the Aviva Stadium was interrupted briefly twice in the first half as a result of limited protests involving tennis balls followed by a pitch invader. Just before the 20th minute, a number of tennis balls wrapped in stickers featuring the Palestinian flag and the text '#StopTheGame' were launched on to the pitch from the corner to the right of the Austria goal. Then, around the 35th minute, a man ran on to the field of play from the opposite side, carrying what appeared to be a Palestinian flag, and was immediately tackled by security and carried off. A protestor is removed from the pitch © Paul Phelan/Sportsfile Uefa's disciplinary body will assess reports from the match before deciding on any potential next steps. It has been a tumultuous week for Ireland. Their two Nations League fixtures against Israel have divided opinion, sparking protests, including one which took place pre-match outside the stadium, advertised on social media by a campaign group called Stop the Game. Players voted last Saturday morning to fulfil the following day's fixture against Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, which they won 3-0. A general view of tennis balls which were thrown onto the pitch in protest at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin © Paul Phelan/Sportsfile Ireland's behind-closed-doors 'home' leg in Backa Topola, Serbia, is scheduled for Sunday, and manager Heimir Hallgrimsson on Wednesday confirmed it was their intention to play. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has made himself unavailable for selection for both Israel fixtures, but was included in Hallgrimsson's squad to face Austria at the Aviva. Stop the Game said in a statement its supporters took part in a 'limited tennis ball protest' in the 19th minute of Thursday night's game, adding: 'The protest is now over. It was a token act, deliberately limited, but necessary and done in solidarity with Gavin Bazunu and the people of Palestine facing genocide.'