The "goal"

[Éanna]

here no way was it over. pause it right on 50 seconds and you'll see.

[pete]

Reasons why its not a goal:
Only a few shels players appealed for it.
Referee waved play on initially.
Only a few shels fans behind the goal appealed for it - lets face it if fans don't appeal for close thing theres no chance as fans will apeal anything.
All the city players played on.
Commentators never suggested was a goal.
Harris cheeky grin.
Devines legs were on the line as he came across to the ball.
Usually where keeper has cleared behind the line will see him scooping it away but not in this case.

Worst decision since Flanagans sending off in 1998?

[Sheridan]

Sorry pete, but it's far from conclusive. I'm no more convinced of the goal's validity than anyone else, but of the evidence you cite below, most is just factually inaccurate, and all of it is circumstantial.

Only a few shels players appealed for it.

Richie Baker had the best view in the house, and appealed immediately, before the ball had even fully rebounded from Devine's gloves. Jason Byrne, Alan Moore and Stuart Byrne then join in, probably in response to Baker's original appeal. Harris, notably, does not; even as the goal is being awarded he has his back turned and is clearly reacting to what he still believes to be a missed opportunity.

Referee waved play on initially.

Why wouldn't he?

Only a few shels fans behind the goal appealed for it - lets face it if fans don't appeal for close thing theres no chance as fans will apeal anything.

One fan behind the goal is plainly seen to appeal simultaneously with Richie Baker. Incidentally, the club allegiances of those behind the goal are by no means clearly established. One fan is wearing a Cork City shirt and most don't react to the near miss at all (as an excitable Shels fan of the type you describe above surely would.)

All the city players played on.

As opposed to shouting "Hey, that crossed the line! Well played, sir!"? BTW, if you look closely you'll see O'Callaghan take a sneaky glance at the linesman.

Commentators never suggested was a goal.

They were in no position to do so.

Harris cheeky grin.

It is indeed obvious that Harris didn't believe the ball had crossed the line.

Devines legs were on the line as he came across to the ball. Usually where keeper has cleared behind the line will see him scooping it away but not in this case.

Evidence for the prosecution, if anything. Devine's feet were planted on the line before he ever touched the ball, and his backward momentum eventually carried him, head-first, into the corner of the net.

Now we move onto the photographic evidence, culled from the .zip generously linked above (incidentally, I simply must comment on the URL whence it was downloaded - http://www.corktrophycentre.com/ <--- a triumph of hope over experience if ever I've seen one ) Apologies for the poor quality of these screenshots, but I had to disable hardware acceleration to copy them successfully from WMP.

Exhibit A
The most compelling evidence to support the assistant's decision, but still impossible to say whether the whole of the ball crossed the whole of the line.

Exhibit B
This is so inconclusive that a Geigeresque warping of space appears to be in efffect. When viewed in relation to the goalpost, the ball appears to be over the line. When judged from its position relative to the goal-line, one can only draw the opposite conclusion.

Exhibit C
Again, the ball appears to have passed the post, but not to have fully crossed the goal-line.

Having weighed the relevant evidence, I would be inclined to assert that, in all probablity, the goal should not have been awarded. But it's simply impossible to say for certain.

[A face]

Richie Baker had the best view in the house, and appealed immediately, before the ball had even fully rebounded from Devine's gloves.

Look at what stage he is appealing and where he is standing .... from that angle it must have looked like it was behind the line by three feet (ott i know but you get my point)

Jason Byrne, Alan Moore and Stuart Byrne then join in, probably in response to Baker's original appeal. Harris, notably, does not; even as the goal is being awarded he has his back turned and is clearly reacting to what he still believes to be a missed opportunity.

Byrne cant see properly at all, even if it were a yeard behind. Cant really say what the others are thinking to be honest. Harris has a good view of it and he didn't think it went in. If you look at Greg .... he had a good view and his reaction ... clear it from the box, and and if you look at his face when Harris finds out.

Why wouldn't he?

Ah ... because it wasn't a goal maybe !!

One fan behind the goal is plainly seen to appeal simultaneously with Richie Baker. Incidentally, the club allegiances of those behind the goal are by no means clearly established. One fan is wearing a Cork City shirt and most don't react to the near miss at all (as an excitable Shels fan of the type you describe above surely would.)

How could he tell totally impossible for him to see if it were over ... it'd have to be yards either way to confirm.

BTW, if you look closely you'll see O'Callaghan take a sneaky glance at the linesman.

Ahh ... why wouldn't he if we apply your logic.

Evidence for the prosecution, if anything. Devine's feet were planted on the line before he ever touched the ball, and his backward momentum eventually carried him, head-first, into the corner of the net.

100% over the line ... not a chance, and i think we are trying to breal it down too much aswell .... just look at the play normally .... there is no way it is 100% over ..... I'll be honest i was convinced that it was no where near it last night, having looked at it .... it is nearer to the outside of the line that i would have admitted but there is no way that that ball was over the line.

We done have video refs ...... we have a linesman and ref .... and there is no way on earth they could make that decision last night. They fúck it ..... they simply were not up to the task.

Robbed !!

[ccfcgirl]

It wasnt a goal,but the competition is still in citys hands

[drinkfeckarse]

Had a look at it. It looks harsh to award it but it's inconclusive really until you see a goal line angle, which we wont, so we'll never know.

Understandable why City fans would be aggrieved at it though.

[observer]

Can you guys imagine how Chelsea feel this morning ?

[drinkfeckarse]

yeah but Liverpool appealed for the goal, Shels didn't apparently

[patsh]

It's done and dusted now....

We are a side that are 5 or 6 goals better than Portadown.
A mildly fair referree and we should wrap this up nicely.
Setanta Cup to us, soon the league.....

[tiktok]

doesn't really matter does it?
It won't change the fact that we have to beat Ports by two

[Colm]

A mildly fair referree and we should wrap this up nicely.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ollie Byrne gets to the ref we'll have for the Ports game and intimidated him or bribed him to ensure we have no chance of winning.

It sounds far fetched but it's worth 150,000 to Shels and this is Ollie Byrne we're talking about!

[Man-In-Black]

Can you guys imagine how Chelsea feel this morning ?

Oh the irony!!! Didnt care who won tbh but i must say that i couldnt help having a hint of a smile on my face when Mourinho went out of the competition to a controversial refereeing decision considering the input his comments had in the "FriskGate" episode.

God works in mysterious ways!!!!!

[Man-In-Black]

I wouldn't be surprised if Ollie Byrne gets to the ref we'll have for the Ports game and intimidated him or bribed him to ensure we have no chance of winning.

It sounds far fetched but it's worth 150,000 to Shels and this is Ollie Byrne we're talking about!

Colm dont be so ridiculous.He may scare some people in Merrion Square but if theres 1 body within the organisation who arn,t afraid to take Ollie to task its the referees!!!

[Sheridan]

Oh the irony!!! Didnt care who won tbh but i must say that i couldnt help having a hint of a smile on my face when Mourinho went out of the competition to a controversial refereeing decision considering the input his comments had in the "FriskGate" episode.

God works in mysterious ways!!!!!

I must say that this post concerns me gravely. On the one hand, you're setting up eL referees as infallible paragons of even-handedness (which, in fairness, is balls) and defending even the indefensible Ian Stokes, while on the other you're revelling in a shamefullly poor decision which decided one of the biggest ties in European football for vindictive reasons of your own. Now, what Chelsea did (and I don't doubt that their actions contributed to Frisk's retirement) was unforgivable and in my opinion ought to have resulted in their expulsion from the competition, but the manifest fact that you're obviously a member of the Irish (and probably eL) refereeing corps makes this comment highly inappropriate and deeply troubling.

Speaking of Stokes, anyone noticed the resemblance?

[Gerrit]

Did you Cork fans still not get over it ??

We'll never know for sure if it was goal or not. The video should be sent to UEFA and FIFA in an appeal for infrared detectors or at least cameras on the goalposts, then we wouldn't be having these discussions.

[patsh]

First it was the SPA fans, now we have our very own bunch of obssessed $hels fans.....
$hels are SHIITING IT.......

[pete]

Did you Cork fans still not get over it ??

I think its shels fans who can't handle the truth. This is the Cork City section. I don't see city fans trolling the Shels section...

[Gareth]

We do have Cork people on the shels chatboard, the Shels section isnt really used here. I understand we shouldn't really be in your section but in this case....

As for handling the truth. We can handle it fine. We were awarded a goal and got three points.

[Éanna]

Gareth, I don't think any of us have a problem with Shels fans posting on here. Its just trolling like gerrit is doing that gets on people's nerves

[Gareth]

We'd miss your wild crainess and paranoia on the Shels chatboard Eanna if we barred each other from forums!!! I do however feel that Cork and Shels need a good league encounter to sort this all out!!