Gaelic Games:Tipperary manager Michael 'Babs' Keating has unleashed a scathing attack on the refereeing of Brian Gavin in last Saturday's Munster SHC semi-final replay against Limerick in Thurles.
Although refusing to pinpoint particular incidents, Keating believes the Offaly referee was partially to blame for Limerick's second-half revival (or Tipperary's collapse, depending on one's viewpoint) that eventually resulted in a draw (2-21 to 1-24) after extra-time.
"My only interest is who referees the match this Sunday," he said. (It's Seánie McMahon from Clare.)
"I don't have an issue with refereeing," continued Keating, "but I witnessed the worst standard of refereeing I ever saw last Saturday in Thurles."
When asked to provide instances, Keating replied, "I witnessed 25 incidents. There was an umpire doing the match who does no credit to the standard expected in championship hurling."
Gavin has been on the senior intercounty panel for five years. His previous championship games of note include last year's All-Ireland club final and the All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Waterford.
Limerick manager Richie Bennis approached Gavin as he left the field at half-time on Saturday, probably in reaction to Ollie Moran being denied what seemed a legitimate penalty appeal. Tipperary were awarded a free out and went under the Old Stand leading 1-12 to 0-5.
Some 35 minutes later Andrew O'Shaughnessy completed Limerick's remarkable recovery when his short-range free tied the game at 1-19 apiece, the same score as the previous week.
After 20 minutes of extra-time O'Shaughnessy stepped up again to land a last-gasp 65.
"I just want to also take the opportunity to wish Richie Bennis and Bernie Hartigan the very best," continued Keating. "All we want is a bit of fair play. There wasn't a dirty stroke in the game apart from the throw-in to the second half, which was in front of Gavin."
The free count perhaps explains Keating's frustration. Both teams were awarded six in the first half. Limerick received nine in the second half to Tipp's solitary free, sent over the bar by Eoin Kelly in the 55th minute.
In extra-time the count was 3-2 in Limerick's favour. The total count was 17-9 for Limerick.
"Journalists should sit down and analyse the match like Richie Bennis, myself, Ger Loughnane, Gerald McCarthy. Go and look at what we have to put up with. The intensity of last Saturday's match in Thurles was unlike anything I've ever seen. And our boys stood up.
"Our boys are being criticised for losing a 10 point lead, but it was for the same reason Limerick fell behind in the first half. If we had of got just a couple of the frees we should have got it wouldn't have been an issue."
Keating's criticism of the referee is in contrast to the reaction of Kilkenny's Brian Cody, who focused attention on the referee's assessor after the Leinster semi-final victory over Offaly.
All told, this is the third high-profile hurling manager to voice concern about how the game is run since the championship commenced, the other being Cork's Gerald McCarthy, who focused on the disciplinary process.
Keating also complained about the fixture lay-out for whichever team loses Sunday's game at the Gaelic Grounds.
As it stands, the defeated team must play on six consecutive weekends as they go straight into the qualifier group with Cork, Offaly and Dublin.
"It's an unfair competition for whoever loses. You think of Wexford, who are in an AllIreland quarter-final (after winning the Leinster semi-final against Dublin), while the loser of Tipperary and Limerick will have played three weekends and, if reports are right, are then away to either Dublin or Offaly the next Saturday. That's impossible for amateurs.
"Our fellas have to go back to work on Monday, then go back training, and when you factor injuries into that, and they are part and parcel of the game, some fellas can't go to work."
