A MAN was seriously injured on Friday night when he was assaulted by two men with pool cues in Tullow town.

He sustained serious head injuries and multiple lacerations that needed up to 80 stitches during the attack which was carried out in the popular Tullow pub The Bridge House.

'This appears to be an unprovoked attack which makes it all the more shocking and serious,' Sergeant Peter McConnon said, yesterday, Monday. 'Bystanders were shocked that it happened so quickly in front of them. The first blow was really savage, the man didn't see it coming.'

The man had been in the pool room area of the pub at around 11 p.m. when one of the men turned and smashed a pool cue across his head. The second man then joined in and during the course of the assault, the victim was hit so hard on the head that the pool cue broke.

The victim was brought to Naas General Hospital and Gardai are now studying CCTV footage of the incident. They want to interview anyone who witnessed the assault to help them identify the men. Contact Tullow Gardai on 059 9151222.

- Elizabeth LEE