Referee Eamon McAndrew shakes hands with Castlebar Mitchels’ Mark Conlon after the premature final whistle in the Mayo U-21 ‘A’ FC semi-final last Saturday.
Replay likely in U-21 semi-final after final whistle is blown early
Daniel CareyTHE referee at the centre of the time-keeping controversy in Saturday’s Mayo U-21 ‘A’ Championship semi-final has admitted that he made a mistake.
Eamon McAndrew said that he thought time was up when he signalled the end of the Castlebar Mitchels-Breaffy match in Ballyheane. In fact, there will still two minutes and 20 seconds of the second half remaining. The Claremorris official’s acknowledgement that he was wrong will almost certainly trigger a replay.
“It was my mistake,” he told The Mayo News. “I thought time was up. The second half started at 3.04, but for some reason, I got it into my head it started at 3[pm]. It was 3.32 when I blew up, and it was two minutes short, plus there was a minute’s injury time. So I was three minutes short. I was wrong, and as far as I know now, it’ll have to be replayed.”
Castlebar Mitchels were 1-4 to 1-2 ahead when time was called, but it seems the neighbouring sides will have to meet again to decide who will face Ballintubber in the county final. A meeting of the County Competitions Control Committee of Mayo GAA Board was due to be held last night (Monday) which was to include a discussion of the referee’s report.
“The rule-book says if it’s short of time, there has to be a replay,” McAndrew explained. “I put in my report last night (Sunday), it’s gone in this morning (Monday). I filled it out and said I made a mistake.”
“It’s just unfortunate the way things have happened,” said Breaffy selector David Cusack. “A genuine mistake was made, but we’re glad that a replay appears to be on the cards because we feel we were still in the game at the the final whistle blew.”
It’s unclear when the replay will be, but should the game go ahead next weekend, Breaffy will be without Aidan O’Shea. The Mayo star flew out to Australia last Sunday for a two-week trial with Melbourne Aussie Rules clubs Richmond and the Western Bulldogs.
“There were only two minutes left, and unless there was going to be a huge calamity, we were going to win it,” said Castlebar Mitchels manager Paul Jordan. “If the shoe was on the other foot, I would be telling our club ‘let them have it’.”
Share this page
Newer news items:
- Nov 30, 2009: Charlestown result adds insult to injury for ‘Ginger’
- Nov 30, 2009: Castlebar emerge from the fog
- Nov 30, 2009: Minors promised summer football
- Nov 30, 2009: Rooney keeping United in title race
- Nov 30, 2009: Casey wins Player of the Year
