CHAIRMAN OF KILKENNY GAA PJ Kenny has spoken of the county’s “extreme frustration” after a scoreboard error affected the conclusion of their All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary.

Kenny said any potential mistakes should be able to be checked “straight away”, adding, “I don’t know how they can’t stop play”.

The Kilkenny GAA chair told the KCLR Hurling Podcast that there was never going to be a replay but a sense of “deep frustration” was felt after the event.

The confusion centred around a Noel McGrath shot in the 70th minute into the Hill 16 end which was waved wide by an umpire.

The scoreboard in Croke Park increased Tipperary’s tally from 4-20 to 4-21, but no white flag was raised. It transpired to be Tipperary’s final score of the game with a Jordan Molloy Kilkenny point the only additional score in a game which Kilkenny finished with 0-30.

Tipperary boss Liam Cahill and his Kilkenny counterpart Derek Lyng both revealed afterwards that they believed Kilkenny were chasing a three-point deficit towards the end of the game.

That position contributed to Kilkenny’s approach of chasing a goal during four minutes of stoppage time with both Eoin Cody and John Donnelly taking shots to try to find the net on separate occasions during injury time.

Kenny said Kilkenny were in regular contact with Croke Park after the game.

“There was communication that evening after the match,” Kilkenny chairman PJ Kenny said to KCLR. “There was extreme frustration from the players, management, and county board, and all the fans, as well, who paid to go to the match.

“There was deep frustration, we were in talks with Croke Park from the very start of that evening. We knew it was never going to a replay; there’s no rule that allows for that, and we were told that fairly straightaway.

“We talked to them, but we didn’t want it broadcast all over the front pages. We did talk to Croke Park regularly on the Sunday and Monday and we looked for an explanation.”

“We were also conscious as well that Tipperary and Cork were in the All-Ireland final and there was no point in taking away from their day.”

“There was nothing to be gained from it that way, but we were in talks, Croke Park took full responsibility, they wrote a letter which we actually read out at the county board meeting the Monday after.

“They took full responsibility and issued an apology, particularly they felt for the players and management. They are the people who put in the most effort, so it wasn’t an easy time. There’s nothing we could do. They said they are putting procedures in place.

“All I can say is Tipperary won the All-Ireland and they were well worthy. Congratulations to them. It was disappointing for us, but there’s nothing much we can do now.”

Kenny said Kilkenny will follow up the matter in future to ensure that another similar situation does not arise.

“In Croke Park, there is about six people on the sideline there, the referee’s report had the score in at 4-20 to 0-30 and we were sent on a copy of that, so immediately that’s the score you go by,” he said. “Just human error was basically the cause; whoever was on the scoreboard put up that extra point.

“Maybe I think when you have HawkEye you should be able to link it all in and be able to check for scores straight away, I don’t know how they can’t stop play.

“They say they’re looking at procedures and we will enquire about them going forward, we will enquire about them going forward, we won’t just let that go, we need to have a . . . that it won’t happen again, because it is was a very stressful time.”

“When you’re a player and you’re chasing a lead, it does affect your decision-making,” Kenny said.

“The players were kept in touch. Credit to the players, they didn’t go out on the media either, looking to make a story either. They are the most important people in this.”