London/Belfast - The funeral took place in Northern Ireland Monday of a 49-year-old Catholic man beaten to death by a Protestant mob following a football match.

Kevin McDaid, a father of four, died outside his home in Coleraine, in County Londonderry, on May 23 when he was attacked by a 40-strong Protestant gang whose side, Glasgow Rangers, had won against rivals Celtic.

Six men have been charged with murder, two with attempted murder and one with assault over the attack, in which a second man was seriously injured.

Martin McGuinness, the top Sinn Fein politician and deputy leader of the regional power-sharing government in Northern Ireland, attended Monday's funeral. But no Protestant political representatives were present, reports said.

Parish priest Charles Keaney told mourners at the funeral: "What happened last Sunday evening really was nothing to do with religion. Indeed, it was nothing to do with football. It was like something that would happen in the Dark Ages. ... It was primitive, premeditated evil." (dpa)