Ben O’Connor cut a frustrated figure after Cork were relieved of their Munster SHC crown by Limerick, claiming that his players weren’t told their late injury-time free to force extra-time had to be scored direct.

The Rebels were awarded a free inside their own half in stoppage-time which Patrick Collins took short to Mark Coleman who then played it to Tim O’Mahony on the halfway line. But referee James Owens blew for full-time as the ball landed in the Limerick defence.

“I met some of the guys there and all they said to him going off the field that he didn’t tell them it was the last puck of the ball. I thought normally a referee just said, ‘This is it, lads, you should go direct’, but they said he didn’t,” the Cork manager told reporters at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

“When you say they surrounded him, that’s a little bit much. They were walking alongside him. He had his team of officials alongside him, stewards were walking alongside him, there was no one raised their voice. They just said, why didn’t you tell us? That was the only issue the boys had.”

O’Connor also expressed frustration at the free count which was 18-14 in Limerick’s favour.

“Thought a few decisions went against us. We were punished heavily for them. Small margins at this level.  thought there were a lot of frees. Did we commit twice as many frees as the opposition? I have to watch it back on television, but you saw it there live, did we commit twice as many frees?” he asked.

“I’m a Corkman, so I’m saying we didn’t. You’re the neutrals, so you have to make up your mind on that.

“I just thought today it was very whistle-happy. You can’t be criticising these fellas (referees). They are not getting paid. They are inside there and there is fierce pressure on them. It is a split second decision. But I am looking at it through red eyes and I thought we were harshly treated in a few of them.”

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