Barry Kelly will continue to referee at the highest level next year, despite Brian Cody's extraordinary attack on the Westmeath official in the aftermath of last Saturday's All-Ireland SHC final replay.

The Kilkenny manager is facing possible sanction from the CCCC after blasting Kelly's decision to award a free against Brian Hogan in the dying moments of the drawn All-Ireland final against Tipperary on September 7.

Fortunately for the Cats, they lived to fight another day after John O'Dwyer's effort from 97 metres was ruled as narrowly wide by Hawk-Eye.
Cody fumed on Sunday: "They (Tipp) were handed an opportunity with the last puck of the game, the last day, in the wrong, to win the game.

"We didn't speak about it the last day, but it was criminal what was done the last day. People can say that I'm whinging and moaning all they like, but I'm telling the truth.

"That was a deliberate decision given against us the last day and it was the wrong thing to do. If he had said play on, I would have said fair enough. But don't hand a team a free puck."

Westmeath chairman Sean Sheridan has described Cody's remarks about the St. Oliver Plunkett's official - who has taken charge of four All-Ireland finals - as "despicable".

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