EAMONN FITZMAURICE CRITICISED the match officials for letting Dublin away with ”rape and pillage” in their marking of Kieran Donaghy in yesterday’s National Football League final.
The Dubs ran out 11-point winners to clinch a fourth straight league title, but Kerry were denied a penalty late on when referee Eddie Kinsella waved away Donaghy’s appeals.
Replays showed that Cian O’Sullivan may have fouled the Kerry forward as the pair tussled under a high ball.
And although Fitzmaurice was reluctant to comment on that specific incident, he insisted that 6’5″ Donaghy often gets a raw deal from officials because of his size.
“I’d have to see (the penalty incident) on TV but in general, Kieran finds it very hard to get frees.
“It was part of the reason why we decided to play him out the field in the league, because it frustrates him and it frustrates us when you’re looking in at it.
“Never mind when the ball is coming in — before the ball comes in, he gets a lot of treatment. He doesn’t get frees for it, and it was one of the reasons why we decided to move him out the field, to give him a bit of freedom and a chance to play a bit of football which he has done very effectively for us during the league.
Before half time, he caught a ball inside and there was a very soft free given out, and then there was basically rape and pillage going on in front of the goals on the other side in the second half and we didn’t get anything.
Donaghy was visibly frustrated after a number of earlier calls went against him, slamming the ball into the turf in protest on one occasion.
Fitzmaurice accepted that such strong remonstrations don’t help their cause with officials.
He added: “Probably not, but it’s frustrating when you are being targeted and you are being fouled and you don’t get frees.
“But it’s not just Kieran. It’s a thing in Gaelic games in general with the big man. The mentality is that he should be able to take care of himself and he gives as good as he gets.
“But a free is a free.”
