Kilkenny ace TJ Reid accepts that referees have a "tough job" but says they shouldn't be immune to scrutiny.

Speaking in the wake of his manager Brian Cody's criticism of referee Barry Kelly, the free-scoring Reid told The Irish Independent: "Of course a referee is going to have mistakes.

"They have a tough job, any decision they make, the opposition is going to be giving out. They're under a lot of pressure from everyone.

"I think every manager and player is entitled to their opinions. The media are able to judge on our performances so I think the media should look at the performances of the referees as well.

"There has been an awful lot of talk about that free over the last week. It was very harsh, I have to say. When you're training for the last year for an All-Ireland final you don't want a decision to go like that.

"If it did go over the bar, it would have been the worst winter of my life. We hadn't a second chance because the two minutes of injury-time were up and we were gone.

"Thank God that a bit of justice went right and it went wide."

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