Mistakes that cost games:

[Mac hinery]

Pat McEneaney 1997 Ulster final missed a double bounce of the ball before larryReilly Cavan scored a point and his umpires flagged a point that was clearly wide, evidence provided by video still after the game.  The game finished in a 1 point win and Cavan took an Ulster title before being hammered in the All Ireland semi by Kerry.

[Bogball XV]

John Bannon blowing a free against Henry Downey for a text book shoulder '99. Armagh scored the free won by a point, thus starting their dominance of Ulster championships. The blanket defence could have been killed forever if he hadn't give it.

Even worse, in the same game Tohill got the ball on the Armagh 14 deep into injury time, 12 Armagh defenders (well they did employ blanket defence at the time) jumped on him and dragged him down, what happened, don't remember rightly, but I think it was a free out for overcarrying.  So set in motion a long love affair between Derry and the excellent Mr. Bannon (although he may have officiated at the debacle that was the '98 semi v Galway too).

[Bogball XV]

Or the ref in Derry v Cork minor semi in 2000, Cork midfielder got 2 yellows and stayed on for the duration, game continued, Cork sneaked through by 1 pt and won the All Ireland.  Croke Park suggested Cork offer a replay, the true gael Mr Frank Murphy decided against such a magmanimous gesture.

[Gnevin]

Dublin V Kilkenny U21 final this year would of been interesting to see  what would of happened if the dub wasn't sent off

[belleaqua]

Does anyone recall Tony Davis' sending off for Cork against Derry in 1993? been a while since I have seen it but from what I remember it was very harsh, especially with the conditions that day.

[Duine Eile]

belleaqua you're obviously not a Killererin man/woman or you'd know that crucially that Kinneavy ( ) blew the whistle seconds before the Bomb kicked it. Wouldn't be so sure about Corofin definitely beating Killererin in the final if we had gotten through, Caltra were very flat that day, Mike Meehan had a mare and nothing went right for them on the day. Corofin were the better team on the day, I'm not doubting that, but I wouldn't say for sure that they would have beaten us! Or maybe I'm just being a bit too parochial.

welcome aboard by the way belleaqua, nice to see another Galway poster, there's a fine herd of us gathering these days!

[J70]

Don't have any sources at hand to check the details, but they still talk in Donegal about a league semi-final in the late 60s (against Longford, I think) where Donegal were awarded a penalty, the wind blew the ball off the spot, and the referee awarded a free-out! I think it cost Donegal the game.

Gary Walsh was adjudged (harshly, in my view ) to have stepped over the line in an Ulster Championship game against Down in '96. I think we lost by a point!

I think it was Paddy Campbell who let a long hopeful ball drop between his legs in Brewster Park in 2001, when Donegal were 2 points ahead in the last minute against Fermanagh in an Ulster first round replay. The ball dribbled through to a Fermanagh forward about six yards out (O'Donnell?) and he made no mistake, scoring the goal. We hammered them two weeks later in the qualifiers, but it just wasn't the same.

Going back a while again, but a lot of Donegal men maintain that the free that brought Tyrone an injury time equalizer in the 1989 Ulster Final was a dive, bought by the referee! The 12 point replay hammering should never have had the opportunity to come to pass!

[myball22]

the referee that gave a free against Finian Hanly in this year's Connacht Final. A 50-50 ball is ever there was one!

[Barney]

50/50 my arse. Watch the video again Hanley was pulling and draggin' Billie Joe. Get over it. Remember Donnellan got an extremely soft free after that and blew it.

Anyway when it comes to Mayo football and mistakes on the field and on the sideline where the hell do you begin.

However one sickener was the 2001 Connacht Final. McCormack the ref from Meath sent off Ray Connelley in the wrong. Pat Holmes decided to play the rest of the game with a two man full back line and Ros score a late goal to win.

What about John Maughan getting everyone to defend a 6 point lead in 1996.

Good to see John Bannon get plenty of mentions a disaster of a ref.

And when talking about bad refs there has to be a Kinneavey story.

[North Longford]

David Barden did a very good impression of Derek Savage 3 times against Dublin this year with men free inside him. Only difference is Barden went for goals each time .......and missed. If he even had to fist the ball over the bar we'd have won.
There was an old boy in the stand beside me that day and his reaction was priceless every time it happened...........by the 3rd time I was glad there was a fence around the pitch!!!

[downredblack]

Ref sending off Greg McCartan for throwing the ball at that get McGuigan after he tripped big Greg . Ultimately cost us an Ulster title and by the way there was quare diving that day as well . I'd love to know how many times wee Peter went down in that game . Then Greg was suspended for the backdoor game against Donegal just for good measure . Fast forward a few years and lads can get away with near killing each other .

[blanketattack]

Quite a few last minute frees missed I presume e.g.
Cosgrove v Armagh in '02
Donnellan v Mayo in '06
....

Referee sending off Donaghy v Cork in '06 Munster Final. It cost Kerry a Munster Final, it cost Armagh an All-Ireland!

[dubnut]

This thread is paving the way for the biggest ever whingefest!

[Croí na hÉireann]

Quite a few last minute frees missed I presume

Nothing to add here 

[lurganblue]

Don't have any sources at hand to check the details, but they still talk in Donegal about a league semi-final in the late 60s (against Longford, I think) where Donegal were awarded a penalty, the wind blew the ball off the spot, and the referee awarded a free-out! I think it cost Donegal the game.

brilliant