Sport

Limerick draw Kerry as 'reward' for controversial win over Wexford

ALL-IRELAND DRAWS: CORK ARE due to meet Kerry in the All-Ireland football semi-final if both teams come through next weekend…

GAVIN CUMMISKEY Reports
Mon Jul 25 2011 - 01:00

ALL-IRELAND DRAWS:CORK ARE due to meet Kerry in the All-Ireland football semi-final if both teams come through next weekend's quarter-finals at Croke Park. Both face counties that have never managed to beat them in the championship.

Kerry renew acquaintances with Limerick as karmic justice seemed to intervene after the latter controversially removed Wexford from the football qualifiers last Saturday night in Portlaoise.

Wexford squandered a three-point lead entering injury time, but the issue of whether technology should be introduced to establish the certainty of scores is certain to rear its head again this week after Ian Ryan’s winning free led to uproar at O’Moore Park.

One umpire ruled it a wide, the other raised the white flag. After a quick discussion, referee Derek Fahy deemed it a point.

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On that decision Limerick progress and Wexford are out.

“You train for so long. How many more times are we going to get the same decisions wrong in GAA?” asked Wexford’s Anthony Masterson on Newstalk radio.

“Last year we had Louth and the whole thing. We give up too much of our lives to have decisions like that rob us in a match.

“Where is the linesman in these situations? A massive decision like that in injury-time. Why not call in the two linesmen and the two umpires and have a proper think about it? A proper think about what is going on.

“I just don’t care, and I don’t care if I get in trouble for it, it is just that I give up too much of my life and to go out and have a decision like that made in GAA is an absolute disgrace.”

Limerick were beaten 1-26 to 3-9 when they played Kerry on June 4th. The only bonus is the possible availability of dual players Stephen Lucey and Mark O’Riordan, as the hurlers were beaten by Dublin yesterday.

Cork face Connacht champions Mayo in a repeat of the 1989 All-Ireland final.

The winners will contest an All-Ireland semi-final on August 21st.

Last night’s draw will be seen as close to perfect by the GAA accountants, mainly because Dublin seem certain to be given a stand-alone fixture at Croke Park on Saturday, August 6th.

The Leinster champions cannot play next weekend as they must await the winners of the round-four tie between Roscommon and Tyrone.

This could well be a repeat of last year’s quarter-final, although the roles would be reversed as Tyrone were the Ulster champions then.

Whichever side progresses from Dublin, Roscommon or Tyrone will meet either Donegal or Kildare in the other semi-final on August 28th.

Ulster champions Donegal will also be out against Kieran McGeeney’s Kildare next weekend.

All these quarter-final fixtures are expected to be in Croke Park, although the Kerry versus Limerick game may be better served by the fixture not going to Dublin. The venues, dates and times will be confirmed by the central competitions control committee today.

The All-Ireland hurling semi-finals didn’t require a draw as Dublin cannot meet Kilkenny again until the final. Their victory over Limerick yesterday in Thurles set up a meeting with All-Ireland champions Tipperary at Croke Park on August 14th.

Seven days earlier sees a repeat of the 2008 All-Ireland final as Davy Fitzgerald’s Waterford, fresh from comprehensively beating Galway, meet Kilkenny.