O'Mahony rejects Harte line

Galway football manager John O'Mahony has resisted the temptation to add to criticism of referee Michael Monahan after the controversial ending to Sunday's National League semi-final with Tyrone and has urged the speedy setting up of the mooted forum for debate of such matters.

After the heated conclusion to Sunday's drawn match in Omagh. Tyrone manager Mickey Harte claimed Galway players influenced the referee's decision not to allow a Mark Harte free in the closing minutes of normal time, and suggesting Padhraic Joyce could have been booked "three or four times" before being sent off on a second booking.

While the issue of inconsistent refereeing has arisen regularly during the league, O'Mahony took issue instead with Harte.

"I have opinions as well about referees, and had a lot of frustrations about Sunday's match, but there is the right platform to express them," he said.

"There is some forum coming up where managers can meet the relevant committees, and that cannot happen soon enough. There has to be on an ongoing basis some facility for our considerations to be taken into account.

"But I don't think it's right to go out and start bashing referees immediately after matches. That's the only reason I refrained on Sunday, and I strongly object to any manager pointing the finger at any of our players. And I mean the statistics are there about Sunday's game. The free count was two-to-one against us in the first 70 minutes."

"It's not the job of managers to comment on specific players on the opposing team," added O'Mahony. "And I resent when they do. I would just defend all my players, and I think over the years our record stands with regard to sporting behaviour."

The debate should add an extra dimension to next Sunday's replay at Pearse Stadium, Salthill.

Both teams came out of last Sunday's game fairly unscathed, although Tyrone defender Ciarán Gourley is a doubt for the replay after picking up a calf injury. Galway might have to do without Matthew Clancy, as he is due to sit exams next Monday.

Meanwhile, the GAA has decided against any alterations to next Sunday's fixtures despite their direct clash with two big rugby matches. The Galway-Tyrone replay (3.30) will be preceded at Pearse Stadium by the Galway-Limerick hurling match (throw-in 1.45).

Also set for the Sportsground in Galway on Sunday is Connacht's European Challenge Cup semi-final second leg against Harlequins (1 pm). Two hours later at Lansdowne Road the Munster-Wasps semi-final of the European Cup takes place, and with both those games enjoying live television coverage, the GAA's attendance seems sure to take a hit.

Surprisingly, the women's association have also set their league final between Mayo and Cork for Pearse Stadium, with a 5 p.m. start. TG4 will have live coverage of all three games at Salthill.

Sunday's final round of hurling games in the top section, including Galway's meeting with Limerick, all have the potential to influence which teams end up in the final on May 9th. It was envisaged all three games would start simultaneously so no teams would gain an advantage by knowing what they needed to do. That proved impractical, however, and the Cork-Clare tie will go ahead on Saturday evening (7.30 at Páirc Uí Rinn), and the Tipperary-Waterford tie on Sunday (3.30 at Semple Stadium).

If Waterford, top of the group, beat Tipperary they are assured of a place in the final and would likely be joined by Galway should they beat Limerick. Yet Clare can still have a say if they beat Cork.

Meanwhile, the women's association yesterday announced a new sponsorship agreement with Lucozade, which will be the official drink of the women's game.

After last week's public run-in with the Mayo board, the news is a timely boost to the association, who on April 28th depart on their first All Star tour, to New York.

The main feature of that tour is the game against a Rest of Ireland selection, a curtain-raiser to the Mayo-New York Connacht championship tie.

Finally, the death has taken place of two former All-Ireland hurling winners with Tipperary: Paddy Kenny, who was successful three times between 1949 and 1951, and Willie Wall, a medal winner in 1937.