LIAM Sheedy and Jackie Tyrrell finished up on opposite ends of an emotional rollercoaster at full-time of Tipperary vs Kilkenny.
Former Premier manager Sheedy was naturally delighted at seeing his county prevail 4-20 to 0-30.
The 55-year-old was buzzing upon the final whistle being blown[/caption]
Tyrrell sportingly initiated a handshake seconds later[/caption]
Meanwhile the Cats legend had to swallow his sadness and persist through the post-match coverage.
He did graciously offer a handshake to Sheedy in a brilliant moment captured by the national broadcaster’s sideline cameras.
Both men as well as neutral observer Ursula Jacob acknowledged that Darragh McCarthy’s second yellow card was harsh if the correct call by the letter of the law.
That slightly contentious decision has been completely overshadowed by another controversial moment however.
Human error was responsible for the scoreboard incorrectly awarding Tipperary an extra point from the 70th minute onwards.
Crucially, referee James Owen did not make the same mistake.
But Kilkenny players have a right to feel aggrieved considering they chased a goal unnecessarily thinking their deficit was then four points rather than three.
While analysing how the confusion arose on The Sunday Game, Brendan Cummins noted that one umpire put his hand up to catch the sliotar as Noel McGrath’s shot went just wide while the other official signalled it was wide.
Kilkenny then had two attacks where firstly Eoin Cody and secondly John Donnelly needlessly went for goal from long-range.
Joe Canning outlined how Kilkenny’s players clearly forced the issue as they felt they were in a bigger hole than they were in actuality.
Speaking about them thinking they were initially down by four immediately after McGrath’s phantom point, he emphasized: “Psychologically that’s huge because then you feel you have to get a goal and a point.
“When you’re only two points down you’re thinking we can tap one over and then try and win the puck-out so you can tap another one over.
“So for Kilkenny’s players, psychologically, chasing three points (that late on) is way different from chasing two points.”
Later on in the programme Canning returned to just how vital Robert Doyle’s goal-line block from Donnelly’s rasping effort had been.
The Galway great added: “He’s lucky because if they got that goal at the end of the match, Kilkenny would’ve won by the referee.
“Kilkenny would’ve been a point up yet everybody in the stadium would’ve thought it was a drawn match. So he saved the GAA I’d say!”
GAA INVESTIGATION
The GAA have launched an investigation after the incident marred what was an otherwise incredible occasion.
In a statement last night, Croke Park chiefs are awaiting referee Owen’s match report to get to the bottom of the confusion.
It said: “The GAA can confirm that the official score at the end of the Tipperary v Kilkenny GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Semi-Final was 4-20 to 0-30.
“The GAA acknowledges there was confusion over the final score. The CCCC is awaiting the full referees report in order to establish how the initial mistake occurred.”
