The GAA say referee Conor Lane followed the appropriate protocols before determining that Sunday’s All-Ireland club senior football semi-final at Páirc Esler in Newry should go ahead.
The stadium was covered in fog and while several other GAA fixtures across the country were postponed on Sunday afternoon, the Glen-Kilmacud Crokes clash went ahead as scheduled at 3.45pm.
It was impossible for spectators sitting in the stand or perched on the terrace to see the far side of the pitch for most of the encounter, while the fog also made it difficult for viewers watching live coverage on TG4. On the field, at ground level, visibility was not as severely diminished.
Croke Park representatives were in touch with Ulster chief executive Brian McAvoy – who is also a member of the National Executive Committee – early in the afternoon to check on the situation in Newry.
Lane’s pitch inspection allayed fears the match might be pulled and once he was satisfied the conditions were safe for the players, the Cork referee proceeded with the encounter.
He based his decision on Rule 1.1 of the Official Guide, Part Two, which states: ‘The referee shall have the following powers: (i) To declare the ground or other conditions unsuitable for play after consulting, where feasible, with the Officials in Charge of the fixture.’
Lane had a very experienced team of officials alongside him, including Joe McQuillan and Paddy Neilan – who both boast extensive intercounty experience.
He did not need to contact the fixture makers – in this case the Central Competitions Control Committee – to seek advice on whether to go ahead with the game. Referees would usually only liaise if there were doubts about a match proceeding.
A spokesman for the GAA said: “The primary responsibility for the referee when making such decisions is in relation to the players and the teams involved. Once he is happy the pitch and conditions are safe then the game goes ahead, which was the decision taken on Sunday.”
One misconception in relation to such calls is the old chestnut that if the referee can see the goalposts from the middle of the field then a game can proceed. But while officials might use various arbitrary indicators to gauge conditions, none are binding in the rule book.
Both managers did speak after the match about a lack of visibility but neither wanted to use the conditions as a deciding factor.
“I thought it was bananas to be honest, but it was the same for Glen,” said Crokes manager Robbie Brennan.
“If that was round two of a local championship, it wouldn’t go ahead. You couldn’t see what was happening in the far corner, we could have turned it over and won the ball and you wouldn’t have known. But it was the same for Glen, I don’t want to sound like I’m making excuses, they were far the better team on the day.”
Glen manager Malachy O’Rourke conceded there were probably doubts around the game before throw-in.
“I suppose it was on the edge whether the game should have really been played or whatever,” said O’Rourke.
“Look we were just in the mindset that if it went ahead we were going to play it and give it all we had.”
Glen are now just one victory away from a maiden All-Ireland title, and recent history is on their side. The last two beaten All-Ireland club football finalists returned to the subsequent decider and left with the Andy Merrigan Cup.
Kilcoo lost to Corofin in January 2020 but the Down champions were back in the final in February 2022 – there was no competition in 2021 because of the pandemic – where they beat Kilmacud Crokes.
Then Crokes used the hurt of that loss to fuel their charge the following year and they beat Glen in the 2023 All-Ireland final. Now Glen stand on the verge of making it a straight hat-trick of vanquished teams returning to right some wrongs.
Their opponents in the decider also have some previous experience of bouncing back from All-Ireland final losses – St Brigid’s went down to Crossmaglen Rangers in the 2011 showdown and while they didn’t manage to get back to the final the following season, the Roscommon champions did return in 2013 when they beat Ballymun Kickhams.
It remains the only All-Ireland senior club football title won by a Roscommon outfit.
“We don’t think we have any real advantage,” added O’Rourke, when asked about last year’s final experience.
“I suppose St Brigid’s have come in under the radar and it’s some opportunity for them.
“We are in exactly the same position as we were last year. It’s a 50-50 game in the final and you get nothing for what we have done so far. It’s a great opportunity for both clubs and we just have to grasp it.”
Glen do have two significant injury concerns arising from Sunday’s semi-final victory over Crokes, as both full back Ryan Dougan and centre forward Jack Doherty were forced off during the contest.
Doherty suffered an ankle injury after a heavy collision during the first half, and Dougan twinged his hamstring and was pulled ashore after the break – they were the only substitutions Glen made throughout the match.
“With Ryan we just felt it was too big a chance if he sprinted on it, because it would probably go completely on him,” said O’Rourke. “So we just had to take that decision.
“Jack went over on the ankle. It was fairly bad as well, again we will have to see the extent of the injuries and get the treatment going straight away but two weeks is a short time so it will probably be a race against time, there is no doubt about that.”
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