Brian Gavin: Nolanâs lucky escape a defining moment for Clare
âI tipped Colm Lyons for a final a couple of years ago but I wonder if it turns out to be Clare and Limerick on July 17 will he be strong enough to handle it?â
In years gone by, All-Ireland quarter-finals have given an indication of whoâs in the shake-up for the final but that has changed in recent years.
I tipped Colm Lyons for a final a couple of years ago but I wonder if it turns out to be Clare and Limerick on July 17 will he be strong enough to handle it?
Colm should have black-carded Cian Nolan for his foul on Lee Chin. Wexford should have also received a penalty and not for one second do I buy the idea that he didnât give it because two Clare defenders were on their way back. Chin was about to round Nolan and strike for goal off his left. Fifteen men against 14 and a penalty to boot, it could have been a different result entirely.
For Mark Fanningâs goal, I think Colm gave Chin the benefit of the doubt and ruled it wasnât a square ball whereas there was no doubt that Conor McDonald was in the area before Chin scored Wexfordâs third goal. It was ugly to see McDonald shoulder Nolan in the chest and taunt him after it and he really should have been booked.
In a game of fine margins, video technology would have been so useful. Colm appeared to look at the big screen in the corner of the Kinane Stand and Town End at one stage. When it took HawkEye one minute and 15 seconds to return a verdict on Saturday, why shouldnât a referee be able to benefit from a replay for big moments?
Colm had a good first half and gave great advantage for Shane McDonnell and Tony Kelly points. John Conlon deservedly received a booking for a wild swing as Chin did for careless use of the hurl. Aron Shanagher also saw yellow but only after Johnny Murphy brought it to Colmâs attention when the man in the middle should have called it himself.
In the opener in Thurles, Paud OâDwyer had a solid game by and large and was consistent on overcarrying, especially in the final half. Conor Cooney and Tim OâMahony picked up bookings for a high frontal charge and a slap and rightly so.
Itâs been pointed out that Corkâs poor shooting hurt them most, but I would argue their indiscipline cost them badly in the closing stages. In their desperation chasing Galway, they made some clumsy decisions and it was telling.
One rule I would like to see brought in to avoid all these messy throw-ins at the start of each half is insisting all bar the four players contesting it go back to the 45-metre lines rather than the 65m ones. That way linesmen wouldnât have to come in to help the referee and we might see less shoving and jostling.
As for DaithĂ Burkeâs shoulder on Seamus Harnedy, it was a collision I would love to have reffed. It was definitely a perfect shoulder. It was vital that he met Harnedy straight. Those are the type of genuine, well-timed yet ferocious hits you want to see.
After a week where administrators had difficulties and the disciplinary system seemed a shambles after some of them had taken the Munster and Leinster final referees to task, the goings-on in the boardrooms wouldnât encourage anyone to ref. And can I ask what financial investment is actually going into developing match officials, and by that I mean teenagers? I would venture the answer is zero.
In the Tailteann Cup semi-finals, Fergal Kelly had the tougher of the two in the Cavan-Sligo game. Itâs the second or third time Iâve seen Paul Faloon referee and he can be a bit slow with the whistle. He also missed Jack Bryantâs double hop for Offalyâs first goal.
A final word on the Offaly-Clare All-Ireland minor semi-final on Friday night. To hear whistle after whistle was infuriating and I wonder is there really a need for one to signal a sideline or a free can be taken. We donât need such noise pollution.
