Helmet incident was an ‘accident’ – Gleeson

WATERFORD hurler Austin Gleeson has said that his pull of Luke Meade’s face guard during last week’s All-Ireland semi-final against Cork was an “accident”.

Gleeson has told 2FM’s ‘Game On’ programme that he knew nothing about the furore until after the game.

Referee James Owens declared that he had already adjudicated on the incident and that ruled out any retrospective disciplinary action.

“It was a total accident, I suppose. We don’t really want to dwell on it but it was a total accident,” he said. Gleeson (below) believes there should be greater clarity to the rule rather than a change.

“We need more clarification on the rule, more so than a change of rule. It is dangerous to the sport. Maybe if the rule was clarified a bit more, there might be (fewer) incidents.”

Meanwhile, Austin’s teammate Conor Gleeson last night failed in his appeal to the Central Hearings Committee against the red card he received in the same game for striking out against Cork’s Patrick Horgan. As it stands, Conor Gleeson will miss the All-Ireland final while serving a one-match ban, but the Deise star can take his fight against suspension to the Central Appeals Committee. Elsewhere, Kerry forward Donnchadh Walsh looks like he’ll have to sit out a second successive championship match with Saturday’s replay against Mayo coming too soon for him. Walsh pulled a hamstring on Tuesday night last at training, ruling him out of a championship match when Éamonn Fitzmaurice has been Kerry manager for the first time. In the previous five seasons Walsh had some involvement in every one of Fitzmaurice’s 24 matches up to last Sunday. The injury is believed to be too acute for Walsh to play a part in four days’ time.

Meath referee David Gough has been appointed to take charge of the game, his first involving Kerry since last year’s All-Ireland semi-final against Dublin when he admitted being unsighted for a challenge by Kevin McManamon on Peter Crowley that was clearly a foul and eventually led to an insurance score by Diarmuid Connolly near the end.

The GAA have reduced ticket prices for the replay with stand tickets down from €45 to €35 and terrace tickets now priced at €25 from €30.