Fintan O'Toole
Reports from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh
CORK MANAGER BEN O’Connor revealed his players were aggrieved at not being told their late injury-time free was the last act of the game in today’s Munster hurling final.
Cork fell a point short against Limerick in the decider. They were awarded a free deep in injury-time being worked short by Patrick Collins and Mark Coleman, before Tim O’Mahony delivered the sliotar and referee James Owens blew for full-time as it dropped in the Limerick defence.
The Cork players expressed their frustration to Owens after the match.
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“I met some of the guys there and all they said to him going off the field that he didn’t tell them it was the last puck of the ball. I thought normally a referee just said, ‘This is it, lads, you should go direct’, but they said he didn’t.
“When you say they surrounded him, that’s a little bit much. They were walking alongside him. He had his team of officials alongside him, stewards were walking alongside him, there was no one raised their voice. They just said, why didn’t you tell us? That was the only issue the boys had.”
Cork boss Ben O'Connor. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
O’Connor was frustrated by the free count that he viewed against his team.
“Thought a few decisions went against us. We were punished heavily for them. Small margins at this level. thought there was a lot of frees. Did we commit twice as many frees as the opposition? I have to watch it back on television, but you saw it there live, did we commit twice as many frees?
“I’m a Corkman, so I’m saying we didn’t. You’re the neutrals, so you have to make up your mind on that.
“I just thought today it was very whistle happy. You can’t be criticising these fellas (referees). They are not getting paid. They are inside there and there is fierce pressure on them. It is a split second decision. But I am looking at it through red eyes and I thought we were harshly treated in a few of them.”
The Cork boss admitted his team had not built up a sufficiently big advantage by the interval as Limerick reeled them in before the break.
“It was a big breeze out there. We probably weren’t up enough at half-time. We were up six points and we gave away a few as well, we didn’t give away a few frees, there was a few frees given against us just before half-time.
“That brought them back into the game, so we were only two up at half-time, so we knew it was going to be a battle. But as I said, I’m delighted with our lads. 77 minutes and there’s still only a puck of a ball between us.”
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Ben O'Connor on late drama: 'He didn't tell them it was the last puck of the ball'
CORK MANAGER BEN O’Connor revealed his players were aggrieved at not being told their late injury-time free was the last act of the game in today’s Munster hurling final.
Cork fell a point short against Limerick in the decider. They were awarded a free deep in injury-time being worked short by Patrick Collins and Mark Coleman, before Tim O’Mahony delivered the sliotar and referee James Owens blew for full-time as it dropped in the Limerick defence.
The Cork players expressed their frustration to Owens after the match.
“I met some of the guys there and all they said to him going off the field that he didn’t tell them it was the last puck of the ball. I thought normally a referee just said, ‘This is it, lads, you should go direct’, but they said he didn’t.
“When you say they surrounded him, that’s a little bit much. They were walking alongside him. He had his team of officials alongside him, stewards were walking alongside him, there was no one raised their voice. They just said, why didn’t you tell us? That was the only issue the boys had.”
O’Connor was frustrated by the free count that he viewed against his team.
“Thought a few decisions went against us. We were punished heavily for them. Small margins at this level. thought there was a lot of frees. Did we commit twice as many frees as the opposition? I have to watch it back on television, but you saw it there live, did we commit twice as many frees?
“I’m a Corkman, so I’m saying we didn’t. You’re the neutrals, so you have to make up your mind on that.
“I just thought today it was very whistle happy. You can’t be criticising these fellas (referees). They are not getting paid. They are inside there and there is fierce pressure on them. It is a split second decision. But I am looking at it through red eyes and I thought we were harshly treated in a few of them.”
The Cork boss admitted his team had not built up a sufficiently big advantage by the interval as Limerick reeled them in before the break.
“It was a big breeze out there. We probably weren’t up enough at half-time. We were up six points and we gave away a few as well, we didn’t give away a few frees, there was a few frees given against us just before half-time.
“That brought them back into the game, so we were only two up at half-time, so we knew it was going to be a battle. But as I said, I’m delighted with our lads. 77 minutes and there’s still only a puck of a ball between us.”
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