GAA:The Meath county board met in Navan this evening but requested more time as they consider offering Louth a replay after the shambolic scenes at the end of yesterday's Leinster SFC final at Croke Park.
In Louth the county executive committee also met this evening to review the post match incidents. Louth representatives said they “condemn the unsavoury incidents after the match and will provide full co-operation with the relevant authorities to deal with the offenders”.
“We are also seeking a copy of the referees report for clarification purposes to enable the Louth executive committee to consider all options available,” added the statement.
The controversy surrounded an illegal injury-time winning goal from Meath’s Joe Sheridan when he threw the ball into the net with the game ending 1-12 to 1-10 to the Royals.
Focus then turned to referee Martin Sludden, who was criticised for his decision to allow the goal after consulting his umpires behind the Louth goal.
Sludden was attacked by irate Louth fans who tried to land punches on him as the Gardaí attempted to usher him off the pitch. A steward was also struck with a bottle shortly after Sludden went down the tunnel.
The GAA confirmed they received the referee’s report and that Sludden accepted he made a mistake but under GAA rules they cannot order a replay.
“The GAA confirms that the referee’s report has been received and the referee has stated that he made a mistake in awarding the Meath goal. However, under GAA rules, a re-fixture cannot be ordered as the referee’s report of the full time score is final,” read the GAA statement.
“The GAA condemns the actions of a small number of supporters who entered the pitch enclosure in an effort to remonstrate with the match referee Martin Sludden at the end of yesterday’s Leinster Senior Football Final.
“An Garda Siochána has been provided with the television footage of the post match events and Croke Park post match security procedures will be reviewed in light of yesterday’s unacceptable incidents.
Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern said all “right-minded” people would “have to condemn the scenes on the pitch” when the referee was attacked.
Ahern was reluctant to call for fencing to prevent pitch invasions and accepted “it’s very hard for the authorities to keep people off the pitch”.
“If you start fencing in, then that has a knock-on affect and there had been awful incidents at stadia around the world as a result,” said Ahern, who is a TD for Louth and was at Croke Park to support his county yesterday.
“Lessons have to be learned to see if there is any way of ensuring that the referee and the umpires are protected.
“Like everyone I was astounded at the way in which it turned at the end. If you look at the video afterwards you can see clearly that it wasn’t a legitimate goal.”
“That’s really a matter for the Meath people,” was his response when asked if there should be a replay.
Louth manager Peter Fitzpatrick was clearly unhappy with the outcome. “I'm absolutely devastated about the decision the referee has made. I just think it is wrong what happened,” he said on RTE.
“If the Central Competitions Control Committee or (GAA president) Christy Cooney have any decency at all they will have to do something. That was just daylight robbery. For the referee to do that to us, it is totally out of order.”