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Anthony Maher, in action with Tyrone’s, Tiernan McCann during the semi-final back in August. Photo by Dermot Crean.
IN the depths of winter and the championship far behind us, some people just can’t let things lie and get on with it.
According to Tyrone GAA county secretary Dominic McCaughey – who was writing in his annual report – in this year’s All-Ireland semi-final referee, Maurice Deegan, denied Tyrone a second penalty after a “clear foul” with five minutes to go.
The match was an enthralling encounter with Kerry running out four point winners by 0-18 to 1-11.
Kerry followers may be forgiven for getting a sense of déjà vu, as a similar line was trotted out by the Cork County Board back in August after the drawn and replayed Munster Final.
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On that occasion the awarding of a ‘soft’ penalty after James O’Donoghue was fouled in the drawn game and the torrential rain in the replay keenly contributed to Cork’s exit.
The Tyrone administrator even manages to give the rain a mention as well, Dominic McCaughey writes:
“Played in incessant rain, Tír Eoghain displayed outstanding skill, fierce determination and relentless intensity but the inability to convert several goal opportunities and a number of missed free-kicks, together with a few highly-questionable refereeing decisions resulted in a very narrow defeat.”
“In the closing stages of the game, the failure to award a penalty to the Red Hands for a clear foul ensured the opportunity of appearing in a first final since 2008 slipped away, for another year.”
Just to refresh your memory this is the “clear foul” that constituted a certain penalty. Instead of a spot kick, Tyrone attacker, Padraig McNulty was given a yellow card for a dive.
Kerry v Tyrone, All-Ireland semi-final, penalty shout.
There is no denying a bit of bad blood between Kerry and Tyrone. The one thing we can say to Mr McCaughey is, time is a great healer.
