The boys were back in town; the drink did flow and the blood did spill in Hyde Park bar brawl

Four "large" guys got into a fight inside the Cavan Cafe on Hyde Park Avenue in Hyde Park in May that left one man stabbed - and then shot at as a pal tried to rush him to the hospital - police and the Cavan's bartender told the Boston Licensing Board this morning.

The board now has to decide, possibly at a meeting on Thursday, whether the watering hole could have prevented the blood from spilling in the May fight and, if so, whether any punishment is warranted.

The bartender on duty that night said the victim had been in the bar about 45 minutes, eating barbecue chicken by himself, when the three other men entered the bar. About five minutes later, all four of the men, whom she described as "large," left to go outside for a smoke and some sort of discussion. She said the chat seemed peaceful enough - the four "hugged each other and shook hands," after one of them talked to a chick who did not slap any of their faces. The four then came back in the bar.

But not long after, the three guys fell about the place in an attack on the barbecue-chicken guy.

"It was 49 seconds of fighting, boom, that was it," she said. But it was a violent 49 seconds, she acknowledged: Food went flying, chairs got knocked over and there was blood - but only a few drops she said, adding she thought maybe somebody had gotten their nose punched, that she never saw a knife come out. So she said she did what she always does when cleaning up, she got out some Clorox and wiped away the blood - not to destroy the evidence, but just to tidy up.

According to police, the victim was, in fact, stabbed inside the bar. Outside, he got into a pickup driven by somebody else, who then began driving up Hyde Park Avenue towards Cleary Square and then a hospital. One of the three men ran after the pickup and fired at least one shot, but missed, according to police.

This is second time this year the Cavan Cafe has been before the board for a brawl