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

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

If Louth dont get a replay they should forfeit the qualifier match in protest. 25000 x 30euro is what Louth gave the GAA today to be cheated.

There have been way worse crowd problems at club games involving refs, these Louth GAA fans shouldnt be scapegoated, they barely even touched the ref. I remember seeing footage of Niall Cahalane punching a ref in the jaw at a club game after final whistle and he writes for the examiner now.

Sorry SLIGONIAN, complete bollix.

1. The GAA can't grant a replay here because it would very quickly end up in a snarl-up of fixtures, as if there weren't enough issues with those already. The result is the result unless it's a case of the game not running to full-time (as happened with Jimmy Cooney and the Offaly and Clare hurlers a few years ago).

2. You're trying to excuse assaults on the ref with comparison to worse assaults. That's not on, the ref should never be manhandled, and those Louth 'fans' are a disgrace to their county, and should be banned from whichever jurisdiction the GAA hold, be that club or county. Don't attempt to play the whataboutery card here please.

[Jinxy]

He was grinning because one of the Louth players elbowed him in the chest then another lad squared up to him.

Assault so jinxy ye'll be looking for them to be prosecuted?

This is a joke, not one of those Louth fans assaulted the ref, brushed him with a few shoulders and pushes and verbals, complete scapegoats,

We all seen alot worse,

Don't really get this.

[Celt_Man]

To answer my own question.... this is brutal

[Donnellys Hollow]

Same fella was ushering lads away from the referee a few minutes earlier 

[SLIGONIAN]

He was grinning because one of the Louth players elbowed him in the chest then another lad squared up to him.

Assault so jinxy ye'll be looking for them to be prosecuted?

This is a joke, not one of those Louth fans assaulted the ref, brushed him with a few shoulders and pushes and verbals, complete scapegoats,

We all seen alot worse,

Don't really get this.

No one is calling what the players did in the aftermath assault but yet i never saw one elbow on the ref. Is shouldering, pushing and running after a ref assualt?

[Jinxy]

The word "assault" is always bandied around in the aftermath of stuff like this.
Just part of the general hysteria really.

[Armaghgeddon]

More photos from yesterday Fiasco...

[SLIGONIAN]

It has to be taken into account no punches were thrown, can people not empathise with the pain of 53 yrs and they way it was taken away? These men I guarntee will turn out to be diehards and genuine folk, where the pain is alot greater and i feel for them. They werent even aware of themselves or there action in the rage afterwards, complete unconconcious reaction.

If video evidence was analysed, i would put it down to intimidation of the ref, more than assault.

[stephenite]

It has to be taken into account no punches were thrown, can people not empathise with the pain of 53 yrs and they way it was taken away? These men I guarntee will turn out to be diehards and genuine folk, where the pain is alot greater and i feel for them. They werent even aware of themselves or there action in the rage afterwards, complete unconconcious reaction.

If video evidence was analysed, i would put it down to intimidation of the ref, more than assault.

I hear what you're saying, but no. There can be no attempt to fudge the actions of these individuals and put it down to frustration - they'll need long, or lifetime bans from all GAA grounds for that sort of behaviour.

[ballinaman]

I'd agree with Sligonian to be honest.

Obviously it was wrong but jaysus, i think the ref got off fairly light, it could have been worse. Ya can't go near the ref like that, but after a wrong like that, it's understandable....not justifiable just to be clear.

Crazy decision, whatever will happen it's going to hang over both teams for a long time to come. Bitta of a France scenario could emerge for Meath. Chatting to a few lads in Trim there, no celebrations at all there tonight.

[SLIGONIAN]

Look lads, when McStay was talking I was thinking the whole time, if this happened Mayo in an All Ireland Final last kick of the game or Sligo for that matter how would you feel? I honestly wouldnt know what I would do..

Ironically enough it was the exact same scoreline as 07 Connacht 1-10 to 0-12 and in fairness Sligo did there best to throw it away but no team deserves that even with the misses. I really feel for Louth, Im still raging about it. My heart goes out to them.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Ah come on Sligonian there is absolutely no excuse for that carry on. The referee did make a monumental c**k up but he still should not be subjected to that sort of intimidation from mindless eejits.

Louth were robbed of what would've been their greatest day in donkey's years so you can understand the level of fustration of people but you have to show a level of self control - for me Peter Fitzpatrick deserves a lot of credit for his actions. The footage of the young Louth garsún in tears when what I presume was his father was being held by a security guard was heartbreaking. That man should be absolutely ashamed of himself.

[SLIGONIAN]

Ah come on Sligonian there is absolutely no excuse for that carry on. The referee did make a monumental c**k up but he still should not be subjected to that sort of intimidation from mindless eejits.

Louth were robbed of what would've been their greatest day in donkey's years so you can understand the level of fustration of people but you have to show a level of self control - for me Peter Fitzpatrick deserves a lot of credit for his actions. The footage of the young Louth garsún in tears when what I presume was his father was being held by a security guard was heartbreaking. That man should be absolutely ashamed of himself.

It was no c**k up, ffs if he wanted to give louth fair play he would of asked the umpires. In no way was this a mistake. Its far to PC and Niave to give the ref that excuse.

Ive never even come close to this with refs but fck me i can understand. If this had happened Sligo in 07 i would of went ballistic and i dont know what I would have done.

[stephenite]

FFS lads would ye ever cop on. Are you seriously suggesting that the offenders get away with approaching the referee, because they're from Louth and it's their first time in 50 odd years?

It's inexcusable, once you start to excuse it, this sort of behaviour becomes acceptable.

[Armaghgeddon]

This game still has me annoyed. However as much as I feel for Louth most counties in round 3 of qualifiers would probably prefer them in the qualifiers rather than Meath. 

The referee well and truly messed this one up and I am with sligonian on this one, the umpires should have been consulted and it appears as if they weren't. I can understand the frustration of the Louth fans after taking beatings on the chin from teams like Meath for the best part of 50 years and finally coming out on top is something hard to deal with but attacking an individual is not acceptable.

The best thing to come from today hopefully is the fact that Sludden and his pals never referee a county GAA match ever again, and hopefully the same applies to club games.