Meath County Board confirmed on Tuesday night there will be no replay of Sunday’s controversial Leinster Senior Football final as they have refused to offer Louth an olive branch so now it’s time for the Wee County to put the bitterly disappointing day behind them, even though it feels so very wrong to do so.
For those from outside of Ireland, or anyone who is from Ireland but has been living under a rock for the last four days, Louth were robbed of their first Leinster crown in 53 years thanks to a goal from Meath forward Joe Sheridan that never should have been allowed.
It was clear to see for the 48,000or so supporters in Croke Park on Sunday and however many were watching on TV, that Sheridan carried the ball over the line before throwing it further into the back of the net, but three important men missed this – the referee and his two umpires.
The scenes that followed were even more disgraceful as referee Martin Sludden was attacked by a small number of incensed, but still out of order, Louth supporters.
However, on Tuesday both Louth and Meath County Boards received copies of the referee’s report on the game, in which Mr Sludden admits he should not have given the goal but claims he was about to give a penalty, but then realised the ball was over the line and awarded a goal.
I nearly fell off my chair when I read the quotes, if they wanted to rub salt in the wounds they could have waited until they were a little more healed.
The report overlooked the fact that before any issues of penalties or goals, that it should have been a free out for a square ball (you’re not allowed in the small box before the ball, for our UK readers).
Also, that the fact his umpire never raised the green flag to signal a goal immediately after it crossed the line, which is the general rule, should have told the referee something but he seemed to just tell his umpire to raise the flag rather than discuss the situation with him.
The referee claims he ‘saw the ball had crossed the line’, which raises the question, how can you give a goal when you don’t know how it got there?
If Mr Sludden believed it was a penalty, then why not just give it when there’s doubt over the goal?
It is all irrelevant now anyways as the matter has been dealt with. However, Mr Sludden should never get to referee a senior championship game again after Sunday but I feel the GAA will look kindly on him giving the situation he was put through after the final whistle.
The Meath players and management have taken a lot of abuse for the incident but they should not be held to blame for what occurred, they did what any team does and that is do everything you can to win.
It’s the job of the officials to ensure the rules are adhered to but the way ‘goalscorer’ Sheridan conducted his interview afterwards were wrong as they showed little remorse for the Wee County.
Sheridan refused to admit it wasn’t a goal, saying on the Sunday Game that he played the ball over the line when replays and pictures clearly show him over the line with the ball.
He would have done himself a great favour to admit it shouldn’t have been allowed and apologised, even a certain Thierry Henry had enough grace to do that.
And the Meath board SHOULD have offered a replay, as there was little chance of it being sanctioned by the Leinster Council anyways but they would have come out on the moral high ground.
However, they decided not to and that’s where the matter should stop now. Louth are talking about taking a legal route on this but it’s pointless as it is laid out in black and white that what is said in the referee’s report is the result is final, unless the winning team offer a replay.
What the Louth management need to do is get their players focused again, as the campaign is not over yet. Yes, there’s no Leinster title but there’s the All-Ireland qualifiers to comprehend and they are one match away from an All-Ireland quarter final.
It’s not going to be easy to pick themselves up from such a heart-wrenching defeat but if Louth can put in another performance like the one on Sunday and take their chances when they get them, then they’re capable of causing any team problems on the day.
Let’s just hope that an afternoon like Sunday never happens to Louth again but we’ve said that before...
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