Leinster SFC Semi-final

Dick Turpin without as mask declared Peter Fitzpatrick and it was hard to argue with the Louth boss. With the Reds on the brink of a first Leinster title for 50 years referee Martin Sludden made himself the centre of attention, but firstly not disallowing Joe Sheridan’s injury-time goal himself and then refusing to speak to his umpire’s about the incident. It was on of the biggest injustices ever inflicted on a GAA pitch. Louth had been the better team for long periods of the game and arguably should have been even further ahead before the late drama kicked off. A brillaint JP Rooney goal appeared to put Louth in the driving seat and they had chances to seal the deal. But Meath clung in and were two points down when Graham Reilly’s up and under spilled to Seamus Kenny, Paddy Kenny performed a brilliant block and Sheridan was on hand to finish by throwing the ball to the net.

WHAT THEY SAID

Peter Fitzpatrick

‘I thought the referee was like Dick Turpin without a mask – it was pure daylight robbery. We are very, very annoyed. The effort our lads put in was fantastic. They came back from three points down at half time and played with passion. This team did me really proud and it was just an awful sad note to finish the game on. I just don’t think it’s fair and just and I’m devestated. I have no problem getting beaten by five or six points, but it’s just the way that it finished. I just hope the CCCC will do something about it, because it’s wrong and unfair.’

Paddy Keenan

‘I couldn’t believe it. You’d have to give Joe credit, if I was in his position I’d do the same, but it beggars belief how a referee could give the decision whether it was him or the umpire. A few of the lads ran around him [the referee], but he put it in his book before he consulted his umpire, which was nearly as much of a joke. He had his mind made up, he wanted to give a goal and that was it. Then he went into his umpires and I don’t know what they were looking at, but it wasn’t the same game as everyone else was looking at. He just wasn’t for making the right decision and that was it.’

Joe Sheridan

‘It was a definite goal. People can say I threw it, but I was in the net. I just dropped the ball and it was in the net, simple as that. It was well worked up the pitch and we were glad to get the chance. I was pushed over the line, it was a penalty if he wasn’t giving the goal. But as far as I’m concerned we won today. On other days we’ve had the luck against us.’

LOUTH

N Gallagher; E McAuley, D Finnegan, R Greene; R Finnegan, M Fanning, J O’Brien; P Keenan (0-1), B White (0-4, 0-3f); A McDonnell (0-1), M Brennan, A Reid (0-1); C Judge (0-2, 0-1f), S Lennon, JP Rooney (1-1). Louth subs: S Fitzpatrick for Greene ’30, A Hoey for Fanning ’53, P Smith for Lennon ’58, D Byrne for A Reid ’62.

MEATH

B Murphy; C O’Connor; K Reilly, W Harrington; A Moyles(0-1), G O’Brien, C King; B Meade, N Crawford (0-1); S Kenny, J Sheridan (1-0), G Reilly (0-4); C Ward (0-4, 0-4f), S O’Rourke, S Bray (0-2).

Meath Subs: C McGuinness for Moyles ’66, P Byrne for O’Rourke ’70.

REFEREE

Martin Sludden (Tyrone).