The dramatic end to the All-Ireland women’s senior final had amateur rulesfolk thumbing through well worn versions of the LGFA rulebook trying to make sense of what exactly went down in those frantic final moments.
Kerry star Síofra O’Shea first looked to have drawn her side level late in the game – before that score was chalked off as play was brought back for a two-point free attempt following the loss of an ‘advantage’ for the Kingdom ladies.
Amazingly, O’Shea then appeared to have won the game in the most dramatic fashion when her two-point attempt dipped in under Galway keeper Leah O’Halloran’s crossbar for an apparent goal.
However, that score was quickly ruled out as well as referee Maggie Farrelly had signalled for a square ball.
“For me, it’s very clear here.”
“It’s a hard way to lose.”
The Sunday Game panel discuss the two refereeing decisions at the end of the All-Ireland final between Kerry and Galway. pic.twitter.com/LPBI6GNlEC
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Seconds later, the hooter sounded and we had brief, confusing scenes of players and fans from both teams celebrating the ‘win’ briefly until it became clear that Galway were, in fact, the victors after that barmy ending to the play.
Replays of O’Shea’s final free show Kerry substitute Erica McGlynn was in the square before the ball arrived from O’Shea’s boot – although McGlynn never touched the ball as it tumbled over the line off O’Halloran’s outstretched hands.
The Sunday Game panel dissected the madcap moments before the final whistle and both former Dublin star Hannah Tyrrell and ex-Cork ace Bríd Stack insisted that Cavan whistler Farrelly got both major calls spot on.
“Kerry are trying to fight their way back into it, not an awful lot of time left. Síofra is very capable of kicking these,” Tyrrell told host Jacqui Hurley.
“For me, it’s clear, Maggie signals before the ball even gets into the goal that she is calling for a square ball. She gets this absolutely spot on.
“A Kerry forward gets into the square before the ball gets there, regardless of interference. Keeper does get a touch, but that doesn’t negate the fact a Kerry forward ended up inside the small rectangle.”
Síofra O’Shea’s late free caused much confusion
As for the advantage that seemed to penalise Kerry who were searching for that all-important equaliser, the ref was on the money with that one too, according to the panel.
“It’s a hard way to lose. You see Síofra celebrating, she hadn’t realised that the call had been made. But it was fairly definitive,” Stack added.
“Maggie had two fairly big calls to make towards the end of the game but they were the correct calls.
“Maggie had the hand up for the advantage, there was a ball played across, was a fifty-fifty ball and Maggie deemed that the end of the advantage so she blew the whistle.
“The Galway players had all stopped around her, Síofra had clearly heard the whistle so it was the correct call. It was just unfortunate that it came down to two big calls like that at the very end.”