The GAA has issued a statement in regard to criticism of referee Joe O'Leary in Sunday's hurling semi-final. The statement says: "Contrary to a suggestion by Sunday Game panellist, Eamon Cregan, no instruction whatsoever has been given that interferes with a referee giving permission to a medical officer to come on to the field of play to check on an injured player.

"An instruction has been given that, except in exceptional circumstances, injuries must be treated off the field of play and play continued as laid down in the rules.

"No team official, other than the person named to the referee as the medical officer, is entitled to come on to the field of play for any purpose."

Cregan also referred to this matter in his analysis of the match in The Irish Times. His comments followed a number of incidents in Sunday's game in which the referee ordered team officials away from injured players and insisted that players leave the field for treatment. It was felt in many quarters that O'Leary was interpreting the GAA instruction much too severely, particularly where head injuries were involved.