GAA News from Ireland: Portlaoise officials try to attack referee after club game

Croke Park officials are to investigate the disgraceful scenes at the end of the AIB All-Ireland club semifinal in Limerick last Sunday when Gardai (police) had to restrain Portlaoise officials looking to attack referee Michael Duffy.

Portlaoise were beaten by Clare side Kilmurry-Ibrickane in a major shock (1-14 to 0-8), and their fans were none too pleased with Duffy’s performance.

Duffy red carded defender Brian Mulligan for a high tackle in the first minute of the game, then sent captain Brian McCormack off for a second yellow card.

The referee was escorted off the field by local Gardai at halftime and again at full time as Portlaoise tempers boiled over.

Beaten manager John Mulligan, father of Brian, was heavily critical of Duffy after his team’s defeat.

He said, “I thought it was a joke. If the man has a conscience, he won’t sleep for a long time. I don’t want to sound a bad loser, but the red card for Brian was an absolute joke of a refereeing decision.

“He caught him a bit high, it was definitely a free but a yellow would have sufficed. There is no such thing as consistency. One of their players came in as a sub, hopped off one of our lads and the referee did nothing.

“I asked him about it at halftime and he wasn’t going to entertain me.”

Winning boss Micheal McDermott defended Duffy however and said, “The referee made a call on the dangerous tackle early on and if that happens, you’ve to go off for it.

“I thought he did a good job today and it was sad to see the scenes on the field there with the referee.”

 
O Se Retires

TRIBUTES have poured in for the Kerry midfield legend Darragh O Se, who confirmed his retirement from inter-county football last week.

The talented midfielder won six All-Ireland medals and three All-Stars in his 15-year inter-county career.

“I was thinking about it for a long time,” Ó Se told the Irish Daily Star. “I met Jack O’Connor two weeks ago and I said that if I was going to be back, I’d be back by this week.

“I met Jack and the selectors on Tuesday and told them that I wasn’t going to be back. I just felt it was time to go -- 16 years is a long time. There’s no shortage of midfielders in Kerry and there’s plenty of young talent coming through.

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Nster.com