Kildare will rue conservative tactics

THERE is a good reason most of the post-game debate has centred on Meath referee Cormac Reilly and his decision to award a late and decisive free to Bernard Brogan and Dublin in a Leinster semi-final that failed live up to its billing.

In truth, it looked a harsh free from my seat in the Hogan Stand, although I was a long way from it. Certainly, as a forward you would expect to be beheaded to earn such a late free in such an important match.

However, Kildare would be wrong to go down that route. They missed four frees off the ground from around the 45, kicks that Stephen Cluxton was able to convert for Dublin.