GAELIC GAMES:Crossmaglen Rangers (captain Oisín McConville raising the trophy, right) claimed a fourth All-Ireland club football title by overwhelming Dr Crokes 0-13 to 1-5 in an incident-packed replay at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise, yesterday, writes Gavin Cummiskey
Longford referee Eugene Murtagh failed to dismiss Crossmaglen's John McEntee despite showing the Armagh intercounty player two yellow cards in the 12th and 45th minutes.
During the game, Dr Crokes chairman Pat "Tatler" O'Sullivan brought the oversight to the attention of the fourth official and linesman, to no avail. Rangers replaced McEntee, with Stephen Clarke, after 49 minutes.
"The linesman told us to go away," said O'Sullivan. "He said we don't know what we are talking about. I said he was booked twice. I said it was coming hard and heavy from everywhere and he turned around and said no, he didn't get booked twice. So what can we do? We brought it to the attention of the bench and the linesman."
However, O'Sullivan insisted the Munster champions would not be pursuing the matter any further.
"To be honest, at the end of the day, we had chances and we didn't take them in the second half. You lose matches on the field and we won't be taking it any further but we are disappointed at this stage of the competition that this can happen, especially when a linesman can even go in and bring it to (a referee's) attention."
