Battle of the Boyne - Meath Vs Louth - Leinster Final 11/7/2010

[Hound]

The real problem here is the cowardly actions of the GAA at Central level and the CCCC in particular. The rule says that the committee in charge (the CCCC in this case) award the game on foot of the referees reports. The referee has reviewed video evidence and informed the CCCC that he awarded a goal incorrectly to Meath. Therefore the CCCC should award the game to Louth. Meath would then have to decide whether they would object to this decision or not. The clear and key difference with this case and all others that have been mentioned is that the referee has accepted after reviewing video evidence that he was wrong. Frankly the GAA saying they can't do anything is a blatant lie and should be exposed as such. Goes to show the Uncle Tom's we have posing as journalists in this country.

So if the ref from the Cork-Waterford game reviewed the video and noted he (or his umpires) gave a point to Cork in the wrong (as they did), then it would be appropriate for the game to be awarded to Waterford?

Or does your interpretation of the rule only apply in injury time? Or maybe anything that happens in the last 5 minutes?

In my view you can't change the result of a match when its finished. The only other option (and there is precedent for it) is for Meath to offer a replay if they believe a significant wrong has occurred. But there is certainly no obligation on Meath to do so.

[zoyler]

It would appear that after the final whistle Meath players who had  just won the match with a blatant foul goal which clearly should not have stood went up to Louth players and said something like 'well played, hard luck etc. etc. Some of the Louth players took exception to being condescended to by the people who had just cheated and stolen the game responded in a manner more often seen in Meath GAA circles and the Meath players now use that as an excuse to hold on to their tarnished baubles

[magpie seanie]

The real problem here is the cowardly actions of the GAA at Central level and the CCCC in particular. The rule says that the committee in charge (the CCCC in this case) award the game on foot of the referees reports. The referee has reviewed video evidence and informed the CCCC that he awarded a goal incorrectly to Meath. Therefore the CCCC should award the game to Louth. Meath would then have to decide whether they would object to this decision or not. The clear and key difference with this case and all others that have been mentioned is that the referee has accepted after reviewing video evidence that he was wrong. Frankly the GAA saying they can't do anything is a blatant lie and should be exposed as such. Goes to show the Uncle Tom's we have posing as journalists in this country.

So if the ref from the Cork-Waterford game reviewed the video and noted he (or his umpires) gave a point to Cork in the wrong (as they did), then it would be appropriate for the game to be awarded to Waterford?

Or does your interpretation of the rule only apply in injury time? Or maybe anything that happens in the last 5 minutes?

In my view you can't change the result of a match when its finished. The only other option (and there is precedent for it) is for Meath to offer a replay if they believe a significant wrong has occurred. But there is certainly no obligation on Meath to do so.

If the CCCC asked him to review it and he decided he made a mistake then yes - the decision should be to award the game to Waterford. Neither of those things happened so lets stick to the script shall we?

I'm not saying its ideal but its clear to me and it should be exposed - the GAA are telling lies and trying to put pressure on Meath who have done nothing wrong in my book. Whether people like it or not committees DO award the match, not the ref.

[zoyler]

It just strikes me that GAA results have been overthrown for years by County Boards, Provincial Councils,Central Councils, Uncle Tom Cobble and all over all sorts of minor technicalities and yet here we have the clearest most blatant injustice seen in years and all 'Croke Park' can say is that its nothing to do with them.  Any wonder people get frustated and irate and that comment Hardy is not to justify violence of any sort to anybody

[Maguire01]

I'm not sure Meath can really win in this situation. If they do offer a replay, i'd expect them to win with a bit to spare. Then you'd have some Louth fans still claiming that the first game was the real game and that they were still cheated.

[Lar Naparka]

What will the nation be outraged about next week?
And believe me, it will be something else next week.

You are probably right, Jinxy; there will be something else for people to talk and argue about next week. That's not to say that the present controversy will go away.
It will continue to cause problems for years to come.
I just wish the Meath players had waited until their testosterone levels had subsided somewhat before arriving at their decision. I'm not saying they should have decided otherwise but they should have been given more time to calmly consider their options.
They will have to abide by the consequences for the rest of their careers. Whether they agreed to a replay or did not, you can be certain they were going to get stick either way.
Sheridan and Peter Fitzpatrick will get reminded of their respective post match for years to come. It's a great pity that the pair of them spoke out as they did. The same applies if it turns out that Meath players refused to give a replay because of the reaction from some Louth players in the immediate aftermath of the game.
If ever there was a time for cool heads and few words, this was it.

[imtommygunn]

The sad fact it that it is nothing to do with the GAA and nothing to do with Louth that this happened.

It is reflective of society.

That kind of supporter exists in every county and in most sports might I add.

I'd half agree with you on that.
I don't think that the actions of a few so-called fans are representative of the vast majority of Louth supporters. But there is a strong element of the hard man mentality in every county in the land and it's not confined to the menfolk either. I'd go further and say that a wanton disregard for the rules of the game is to be found right down to grass roots level—even kiddies' games are not immune.
I was involved in Cumann na mBunscol activities for many years and I can tell you that primary school games could, and often did, attract a loutish element whose main reason for attending seemed to be to hurl abuse at the ref, umpires, linesmen and everyone else accept the team players  they had come along to support.
Mammies on the sideline, often pushing a pram and with a gaggle of young children in tow, and often on the field as well, were a common feature. They spent their time urging their own brats to get stuck in and generally bite, boot and bollack all around them. Every decision that went against their side was actively disputed and pitch invasions were commonplace.
I am not exaggerating in the slightest here; after more than 30 years of involvement at this level, I am speaking (writing?) from personal experience. Behaviour at juvenile club level was even worse.
I don't think such behaviour is just a modern day phenomenon either; it seems to have predated the beginnings of the GAA—a carryover from the faction fights of earlier times. (Pride of the village and all that.)
So the oul' fella used to tell me and he also reckoned that football in his time (the 40s) was much more of a 'man's game' than it was in the 70s and 80s and most observers today would reckon that the standards of both players and fans were far worse then than now.
Back in his playing days, the manager who was also the parish priest, used to lay around him with his blackthorn stick as the players ran out onto the pitch. He reckoned that a few belts were just the thing to motivate his men!
So, the Louth 'fans' last Sunday were following a long and dishonourable tradition and I guess it won't come to an end any time soon. If ever.

Underage games seem quite bad now. I've heard of cases at u12 games of refs getting attacked by women with umbrellas and things like that.

They would frustrate the hell out of you sometimes refs but at the end of the day they are capable of human error and if someone is put in a position they're not competent enough to handle and they don't handle it who's fault is it - is it their own or the people who put them in there?

[Hound]

The real problem here is the cowardly actions of the GAA at Central level and the CCCC in particular. The rule says that the committee in charge (the CCCC in this case) award the game on foot of the referees reports. The referee has reviewed video evidence and informed the CCCC that he awarded a goal incorrectly to Meath. Therefore the CCCC should award the game to Louth. Meath would then have to decide whether they would object to this decision or not. The clear and key difference with this case and all others that have been mentioned is that the referee has accepted after reviewing video evidence that he was wrong. Frankly the GAA saying they can't do anything is a blatant lie and should be exposed as such. Goes to show the Uncle Tom's we have posing as journalists in this country.

So if the ref from the Cork-Waterford game reviewed the video and noted he (or his umpires) gave a point to Cork in the wrong (as they did), then it would be appropriate for the game to be awarded to Waterford?

Or does your interpretation of the rule only apply in injury time? Or maybe anything that happens in the last 5 minutes?

In my view you can't change the result of a match when its finished. The only other option (and there is precedent for it) is for Meath to offer a replay if they believe a significant wrong has occurred. But there is certainly no obligation on Meath to do so.

If the CCCC asked him to review it and he decided he made a mistake then yes - the decision should be to award the game to Waterford. Neither of those things happened so lets stick to the script shall we?

I'm not saying its ideal but its clear to me and it should be exposed - the GAA are telling lies and trying to put pressure on Meath who have done nothing wrong in my book. Whether people like it or not committees DO award the match, not the ref.

"Lets stick to the script" ?? 

Sorry, Seanie but that's nonsense.

If your idea was brought in, then games every week would be going to the CCCC for review to look at scores and decisions that were wrong.

It would be beyond ridiculous to change the result of a game because a score had been incorrecty allowed or disallowed - because every score changes the way things can play out. While no doubt the Meath game would have ended with a 1 point Louth victory, nobody can say that Waterford would have won by a point had the Cork score been disallowed. 

[Hound]

I'm not sure Meath can really win in this situation. If they do offer a replay, i'd expect them to win with a bit to spare. Then you'd have some Louth fans still claiming that the first game was the real game and that they were still cheated.

I can no reason for expecting that Meath would beat Louth "with a bit to spare" if they met again.

[eastern_gael]

You can argue this around in circles til the cows come home. Fact is the game is over and Meath won. There was a mistake by the referee but it happens. Meath are blameless in all of this but Irish people like both their scapegoats and band wagons. As many posters suggested mistakes happen in every single game, just see Wexfords game changing "penalty" vs Galway, and if we are going to go down this road the championship would be an endless farce with county after county looking for replays because of some injustice or other. Its tough luck on Louth but they would be better served putting the heads down for a run in the qualifiers rather that whinging and moaning on every media outlet they can get on board. What will the Irish nation be outraged about next week, its beacause of this type of response to petty little things that has the country the way it is. Maybe people should be more concerned about the things that really matter such as those poor lads in Donegal.

[magpie seanie]

The real problem here is the cowardly actions of the GAA at Central level and the CCCC in particular. The rule says that the committee in charge (the CCCC in this case) award the game on foot of the referees reports. The referee has reviewed video evidence and informed the CCCC that he awarded a goal incorrectly to Meath. Therefore the CCCC should award the game to Louth. Meath would then have to decide whether they would object to this decision or not. The clear and key difference with this case and all others that have been mentioned is that the referee has accepted after reviewing video evidence that he was wrong. Frankly the GAA saying they can't do anything is a blatant lie and should be exposed as such. Goes to show the Uncle Tom's we have posing as journalists in this country.

So if the ref from the Cork-Waterford game reviewed the video and noted he (or his umpires) gave a point to Cork in the wrong (as they did), then it would be appropriate for the game to be awarded to Waterford?

Or does your interpretation of the rule only apply in injury time? Or maybe anything that happens in the last 5 minutes?

In my view you can't change the result of a match when its finished. The only other option (and there is precedent for it) is for Meath to offer a replay if they believe a significant wrong has occurred. But there is certainly no obligation on Meath to do so.

If the CCCC asked him to review it and he decided he made a mistake then yes - the decision should be to award the game to Waterford. Neither of those things happened so lets stick to the script shall we?

I'm not saying its ideal but its clear to me and it should be exposed - the GAA are telling lies and trying to put pressure on Meath who have done nothing wrong in my book. Whether people like it or not committees DO award the match, not the ref.

"Lets stick to the script" ?? 

Sorry, Seanie but that's nonsense.

If your idea was brought in, then games every week would be going to the CCCC for review to look at scores and decisions that were wrong.

It would be beyond ridiculous to change the result of a game because a score had been incorrecty allowed or disallowed - because every score changes the way things can play out. While no doubt the Meath game would have ended with a 1 point Louth victory, nobody can say that Waterford would have won by a point had the Cork score been disallowed.

Hound - I'm not saying its ideal but as it happens the CCCC are already reviewing things every week for decisions that were wrong. Am I to take it from you that its ok to do that so long as scores are not reviewed? Its not my "idea" Hound - its the rules as they are currently framed. If the GAA's primary concern was justice for Louth (that sounds a little weird/ott but you know what I mean) they have the mechanism to correct the wrong. The fact that they deny this and are putting all the pressure on Meath is in my eyes further scandal upon a scandal.

[meathie]

from what I gather there still has not been a decision made by Meath Co Board yet, just that the players gave their opinion on it, which I presumed would be as was. theyre meetin tonight to decide? When you have the likes of Kenny spoofing on the radio it does not help matters at all.
Just to point out, regardless of any of this, I cannot stand these people who are coming on radio stations left right and centre and these Louth fans with their 'cheats' comments etc who are people that wouldnt bother their h**les turning up to a league game, first round game or even follow GAA remotely except this one bloody day. and suddenly they know everything about rules and fair play etc. drives me nuts. Ill have a decent converstaion with any decent real fan, but I have no time for these one timers who suddenly know it all. 

[lilpaulie85]

Louth were robbed in fairness. Still no excuse for the scenes which followed. There is no place in any sport for what went on at full time those involved were cleary visible on tv and should be banned for life from attending gaa games.

[Bud Wiser]

No matter what Sludden did to be attacked by at least 4 fans is an absolute and total disgrace! The 'fans' that did that are absolute thugs, have let their county down and should be banned for life!

I have made no comment on this at all up to now, but the one that should be banned for life is the moustached one who came down from Tyrone and was hell bent on showing off his authority as if he owned Croke Park. His demanour alone during and after the game showed that his friends he brought along for umpires might as well have been his robots, he was in charge and that was it.

I am sick of listening to and reading in the media that he was attacked, he was not attacked because if I was near him at the end I would have landed him on his arse which would have been an attack, albeit a wrong one.

Another culprit in this was the ref who allowed Sheirdan throw the ball into the net against Laois after receiving a fisted pass across the goalmouth and there was nothing about it. That, along with the idiots who selected Sludden for a Leinster Final are the ones responsible and how this referee in the Meath/Louth game got on the panel while the likes of Dickie Murphy were refused is beyond me. Peter McKenna would be better off sorting out his security problems instead of telling the Gardai what to do and the Gardai would be better off concentrating on the cigarette smugglers and dissadents up around that area than GAA fans who over reacted to what everyone, except that fool from Tyrone could see was daylight robbery on Louth.

[Hound]

Hound - I'm not saying its ideal but as it happens the CCCC are already reviewing things every week for decisions that were wrong. Am I to take it from you that its ok to do that so long as scores are not reviewed? Its not my "idea" Hound - its the rules as they are currently framed. If the GAA's primary concern was justice for Louth (that sounds a little weird/ott but you know what I mean) they have the mechanism to correct the wrong. The fact that they deny this and are putting all the pressure on Meath is in my eyes further scandal upon a scandal.

Sport is often unfair and unjust, that's part of it. Louth were robbed by an incompetent referree, there is nothing the GAA can do about that after the event.

There is a huge different between reviewing disciplinary matters and reviewing scores. The CCCC decided that Tomas O'Se should have been sent off in the first half v Limerick. He played a huge part in Kerry's narrow victory. Limerick could well have won had the sending off occurred. The least bit of justice Limerick deserved for the mistake by the ref was a replay. But this wasn't even considered by the CCCC - and rightly so in my opinion.