Police investigate possible fraud over fake Sam Maguire

The fake All Ireland Championship trophy was in Carlingford at the weekend

A police investigation is under way into reports that a fake Sam Maguire trophy was at venues in Carlingford at the weekend.

Gardaí (Irish police) say it followed "reports of alleged fraudulent activity in the Carlingford area".

BBC News NI understands that money was being raised for two children's hospices using the fake All-Ireland Gaelic football trophy.

It is understood that donations were being collected for the St Francis Hospice in Dublin, but the hospice said it had no knowledge of any fundraiser in the area.

Armagh GAA, whose gaelic footballers won the Sam Maguire trophy in July, issued a warning on Tuesday that an unauthorised replica was being hired for "substantial amounts of money".

“Armagh GAA have clearly established guidelines and methods for requesting the use/appearance of the Sam Maguire and will never charge for this.”

St Francis Hospice said it "had no knowledge whatsoever that money was being raised for us in this regard".

The hospice said it was "conducting an investigation into this serious matter".

The GAA's director of communications, Alan Milton, told the BBC that counterfeit All-Ireland Football Championship trophies had been used in a similar way on previous occasions in Dublin and Tyrone.

"A fake Sam Maguire Cup emerged after one of Dublin’s All-Ireland Final wins a number of years ago and it had to be taken out of circulation and destroyed and there was a similar situation in Tyrone on one occasion."