Greene still seeing red over ‘murderous’ decision

MOUNT SION manager Jim Greene launched a stinging attack last night on the “murderous” refereeing decision which cost the Munster Club hurling champions a place in the All-Ireland final.

The Waterford club were still seething yesterday at the controversial last minute free from which Alastair Elliott scored Dunloy’s winning point in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Kilkenny referee Paddy Neary’s decision to penalise defender Brian Flannery for over-carrying after he had been man-handled to the ground brought a yellow card for an irate Greene.

Twenty four hours later, the Mount Sion camp remain unapologetic in branding the referee’s decision an “absolute disgrace” and blatantly unfair.

“I told the referee exactly what I thought of his decision and to be honest I didn’t mince my words either,” said Greene.

“I told him that in no uncertain manner what I thought of the decision and I also told him that it was blatantly unfair that an All-Ireland semi-final should effectively be decided on the back of what was clearly a wrong call by the referee.”

The Mount Sion manager said Brian Flannery was delighted to hear the referee blowing his whistle, thinking that it would give them the opportunity to turn defence into attack.

“Brian couldn’t believe his eyes or ears when the free was awarded against him,” Greene said. “He was distraught after the game and I only wish that the referee could have seen the pain and anguish his decision caused Brian.”

Greene said he would look back on many missed chances over the hour, but he would also acknowledge that Dunloy capitalised on the fact that Mount Sion hadn’t reproduced their form of the Munster campaign and probably deserved their victory in the end.

“However it all boiled down to the awarding of the free that never was, and honestly it is just too hard to take right now”, Greene said.

“You train for months upon months in all kinds of weather, you make incredible personal sacrifices in the process, but you cannot legislate for what happened in the final minute on Sunday.”

He said the GAA has turned to video evidence in the past to undo wrongs and he wouldn’t at all mind if they were to do so in this instance as well.

However, he accepts that the result will stand, but nothing will ever convince him and the entire team that they were the victims of a “murderous” refereeing decision.

To compound Mount Sion’s woes the team party returned to their social centre on Sunday night to learn that just minutes earlier lifelong clubman and official, Larry Quinn, had collapsed and died in the centre.

“The tragic death of Larry puts the result of the All-Ireland into perspective,” said Jim Greene.