Brian Gavin: Was Colm Lyons correct to award last minute free to Galway?

Two weeks after he was whistled for taking too long over a late free, there might have been a sense of poetic justice about Conor Cooney claiming the two points in Salthill yesterday

Referee Colm Lyons leaves the pitch followed by Kilkenny manager Brian Cody after the Leinster SHC Round 3 match between Galway and Kilkenny at Pearse Stadium. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Two weeks after he was whistled for taking too long over a late free in Wexford, there might have been a sense of poetic justice about Conor Cooney sending over one to claim the two points in Salthill yesterday.

Was it a free? It was a 50-50 call for Colm Lyons but possibly only because of the stage in the game. Had it taken place in the first five or 10 minutes, there would have been no quibbles about it going Galway's way.