I stood to win a five figure sum if Portlaoise won the club championship and although I felt the ref did them every chance he could, it is fair to say only one team showed up to play football yesterday. Very disappointed with Portlaoise's attitude and fitness level which dropped a lot too.

maroon2gold (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 22/02/2010 11:54:17    569276

I stood to win a five figure sum on Portlaoise if they won the club championship this year and while the ref was very bias against them, their attitude and fitness level left a lot to be desired. I was surprised how heavy the pitch was but anyway only one team showed up with the right attitude and preperation yesterday and best of luck to them.

maroon2gold (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 22/02/2010 12:04:47    569303

And now my laptop is going wonky

maroon2gold (Westmeath) - Posts: 551 - 22/02/2010 13:02:58    569436

This was our big day, and he ruined it.

RUBBISH!! ye reuined it yerselves with your indiscipline from the players, manager and supporters! ye were beaten fair and square

db9 (Meath) - Posts: 283 - 22/02/2010 13:45:54    569498

All I can say is fair play to the referee, most referees in Gaelic games shy away from making the big call, so while it would have been very easy to issue a yellow card for what was clearly a red card offence, the referee was 100% right in sending him off. As a few other people have also pointed out here, Tadhg Kennelly should also have being sent off in the All Ireland final for his disgraceful challenge on Nicholas Murphy, and whose to say that wouldn't have changed the result had the referee sent him off. Too many players in the GAA set out to lay 'down a marker' early on in the game, generally safe in the knowledge that they will get away with it, hopefully this brave referee will change the mindset of a whole generation of players, who might now just think twice now before setting out to lay down a marker.

gilly0512 (Galway) - Posts: 1176 - 22/02/2010 15:04:31    569596

martin coll for donegal v cavan-ref threw the ball in nd he elobowed his marker-must have been 5 seconds

iwasthere (Donegal) - Posts: 100 - 22/02/2010 15:46:06    569677

If that tackle happened in the last 5 minutes youd say, yeah definate sending off and thered be nothing said. The fact that it was so early in the game is the issue. The ref was correct to send him off and just because it was the first minute is no defence. The player was stupid. I must say though that besides this the referee was of a poor standard. He stopped and started the game and failed to play any advantage whatsoever. His was also too trigger happy with the yelloe card. Well done Kilmurray. I wont say good luck in the final because ye could be facing my own club!

Joe Joe (Galway) - Posts: 253 - 22/02/2010 15:53:29    569698

Word has it that DBPC sent off a player after the warm up cos he wouldn't pull up his socks. He said the player was questioning the authority of the ref and it was in the rule book.

Mick O Connell (None) - Posts: 1231 - 22/02/2010 16:27:45    569760

Referee made a big call in the first minute, but I think he was completely right. Portlaoise have only themselves to blame for the way they reacted.

football first (None) - Posts: 1259 - 22/02/2010 16:57:33    569802

12Royal
County: Meath
Posts: 318

568668

I know the ref ws poor,but the treatment he got at Full time wa shocking.That man who made a go for him is some fool.Then the supporters booing is not good at all for the GAA.This trend has been started by soccer fans.Tyrone and Dublin have been known to do it.Even at the end of Meath matches in Navan some of the supporters in the middle of the stand boo the ref off after the game.It should not happen.



Booing was not statrted bt tyrone so think your wrong there or dublin. You go back as far as 2002 meath v dublin not only did he get boos going at half time and full time he got things throwing at him by meath supporters so glass houses and all.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/02/2010 17:01:20    569809

Ah my computer today i mean meath v donegal in all ireland quarter-final .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/02/2010 17:04:27    569814

Club match a few years ago, we were playing against local rivals (with a bit of a reputation) and the previous game had been quite heated.

The ref was ready for them though, i cant remember if it was yellow or red but the ref definitely had his card out before even throwing the ball in for the start of the game.

Derry_ledd (Derry) - Posts: 2093 - 22/02/2010 17:06:56    569822

Brave but excellent decision by the referee to red card the Portlaoise player in the first minute for what was definitely a sending off offence (was a complete clothes line job and highly dangerous).

The Laois supporters & management should be ashamed of the cowardly way they carried on especially at half time & should get appropriate penalties & the GAA need to be seen to stand up to this type of thuggish behaviour & intimidation.

As for Kilmurry - they played the best football I've seen from any Clare team in nearly two decades & I hope they hold their nerve & produce a repeat performance on Paddy's Day. They will be under fierce pressure though as both St. Galls and Corofin are experienced operators. I hope they don't implode on the big day like An Ghaeltacht from my neck of the woods did a few years back against Caltra.

dingle1 (Clare) - Posts: 805 - 22/02/2010 17:30:37    569857

Why NO outrage at the Portlaoise player pushing the referee??? Wouldn't be another example of the double standards we see in the GAA.......surely?

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9840 - 22/02/2010 17:45:54    569879

First red harsh but correct. Second red was for a second yellow. First yellow for saying something to the ref so for that stupidity alone he deserved it. Can anyone tell me what % of sendings off result from an original yellow for mouthing off. Maybe Dellboy has some figures. He is a ref in Meath I understand. Good job he is not based in Tyrone or he would end up with only half the players on the pitch if he booked them all for mouthing off. Well judging from his own rantings. Sorry Dell I don't really mean it. But then again

The real Árd Rí (Meath) - Posts: 990 - 22/02/2010 18:04:31    569911

Lads I might be biased as I am from Laois, but I do follow the hurling more than the football. However I didnt think it was a straight red. Im actually convinced it was a yellow. People are saying it was a clothesline, I dont think so, to me he attempted to play the ball the momentum of the kilmurray man meant that the portlaoise player ended up catching him around the neck. If you look at the second sending off where the portlaoise player was issued a yellow card it was a similar tackle but because the kilmurray man wasnt at full tilt it didnt appear to be as reckless. Finally people comparing it to Kenellys tackle is just silly they are nothing alike.

However having said all that I have looked at the tackle about 10 times and it wasnt an easy decision for the referee. It was perhaps a correct decsion at the time but in hindsight it was the wrong decision.

Hoscarano (Laois) - Posts: 56 - 22/02/2010 18:16:20    569921

pearse mc kenna got sent off fro cavan v armagh after 27 secs in the 1st round of Ulster around 2005 i think

milhouse (Cavan) - Posts: 469 - 22/02/2010 18:21:02    569931

The real Árd Rí
County: Meath
Posts: 511

569911


You know am a ref in meath like i know your a umpire and no point denying it because i know you . You give it away at dinner dance.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 22/02/2010 18:34:19    569954

probably a red but possibly not

10DLSAM (Derry) - Posts: 266 - 22/02/2010 19:13:30    570035

Dellboy, no flies on you boss !!

Cavan_Slasher (Cavan) - Posts: 10253 - 22/02/2010 19:58:51    570154