Ref justice for Keely and Co
Limerick 2 (Cooney 8, McCarthy 66 pen.), Kildare County 1 (B. O’Connor 16)
THIS should have been a report about a Kildare team putting further pressure on Finn Harps, or a much improved Limerick side trying to force its way into the play-off shake-up. Instead it is dominated by a referee that destroyed what was potentially an excellent game last Thursday at Pike Rovers.
The game was less than a minute old when Mr. Flaherty made the first of his controversial decisions. Alan McNevin burst into the box and knocked the ball past Stephen O’Mahony, who appeared to stick out his leg and take the Kildare man down. Everybody in the ground held their breath awaiting a penalty but amazingly, play was waved on.
Kildare seemed the brighter of the two teams during the opening exchanges so it was a bit of a surprise when Limerick took the lead. When Ciaran Foley was allowed too much room to turn, he played a ball wide to Heffernan who in turn played a low hard ball across the box. Damien Brennan did enough to stop Foley getting on the end of the cross but the ball fell nicely to Gareth Cooney, who placed a neat shot past Wayne Russell.
County were level just eight minutes later. Brennan launched one of his trademark long throws into the box and it was flicked on by Ben Whelehan. The ball fell to Barry O’Connor and his volley seemed to deflect off Philip Hughes before hitting the back of the net. There was a slice of good fortune about the goal as it is unlikely that the O’Connor’s original shot would have beaten John Healy in the Limerick goal.
Kildare had the better of the game for the rest of the half with Healy looking extremely suspect under a high ball. Despite the visitors having the better of the possession it was Limerick that should really have taken the lead five minutes before the break.
Heffernan headed a long clearance into Foley’s path and he played Cooney in behind the Kildare defence all too easily. It was almost a carbon copy of the position from which he had earlier scored but just as the Limerick supporters got ready to celebrate, he pulled his shot wide of Russell’s near post.
This seemed to wake the Thoroughbreds up a little and both Hughes and Brennan went close before the half-time whistle.
The referee was once again to the fore in the 58th minute. A beautiful Limerick move involving Foley and McCarthy left Heffernan in the clear. Russell reacted superbly to tip his shot over the bar but as the Kildare defenders prepared to defend the corner, the referee inexplicably gave a goal kick.
The protests of the Limerick bench led to assistant manager Derek Whyte, being sent from the dugout. This reporter was sitting directly behind the dugout and didn’t hear anything that warranted a red card.
Worse was to come just nine minutes later. Healy cleared a massive ball down the pitch. As Alan Keely backpeddled his attempted headed clearance bounced off Brennan and into the path of Foley. The striker -booked earlier for diving -seemed to first throw himself into Keely and then to the ground.
To the astonishment of most people, the referee pointed to the spot and McCarthy made no mistake from the penalty spot.
This decision seemed to spur on County and they proceeded to play their best football of the match. Ray Scully was desperately unlucky to see his dipping 25-yard shot rebound off the crossbar.
Manager, Dermot Keely received his marching orders near the end after another baffling decision.. Kildare were awarded a free 25 yards. As Peter Rogers stood over the ball, the referee made three separate attempts to move the Limerick wall back.
Three minutes had elapsed since the free kick had been awarded and in an attempt to get the game underway again Rogers played the ball square to Brennan. When Mr. Flaherty booked the midfielder, an angered Keely expressed his displeasure. Despite not seeming to abuse the referee, the assistant called Mr. Flaherty to the line and the red card was dished out once again.
It was obvious that this was not going to be Kildare’s night and with just eight minutes left substitute Philip Gorman spun on the ball and hit a beautiful shot that looked destined for the top corner. However, Healy had other ideas and made an amazing save, diving to his left to touch the ball onto the crossbar.
So when the the dust was settled, Kildare County had dropped three valuable points in their promotion challenge. As the players head off to various parts of Europe on a week’s holiday, they know that they have to come back to two of the hardest games of the season, away to Galway on Tuesday, July 1 and at home to Finn Harps on Saturday, July 5.
Kildare County: Russell, Brennan, Hutchison, Purdy, Keely (Rogers 75), Zeller (C O’Connor ht), Scully, Whelehan, Hughes, B. O’Connor, McNevin (Gorman
75).
Limerick: Healy, O’Mahony, Molan, Purcell, Finnucane, Cooney (Whyte 47), Sweeney, Keating, Heffernan, Foley, McCarthy (Browne 90).
Referee: P. Flaherty (Galway).
