Dunne's dismissal could end his career, warns Murphy

LIAM DUNNE'S sending off near the end of Sunday's Leinster hurling final was harsh, Wexford manager Tony Dempsey insisted yesterday.

"It was an unfortunate sending off," he said.

Senior team member Larry Murphy said that while the outcome had been disappointing for everyone involved, the one he really felt sorry for was Dunne. "It may mean the end of his career,'' he said. "And, while it might be controversial to say, some people might feel that referees have a vendetta against him."

Describing the incident, after watching it on video, Dempsey said Declan Ruth 'came out of nowhere' and shouldered the Kilkenny full forward Martin Comerford (the player injured in the incident).

"Liam barely tipped Comerford. If you watch the video, the hurley made contact with his shoulder. Dunne was committed to striking the ball.

"Liam Dunne plays the ball. In club hurling in Wexford I think he has been sent off once in his life. In my opinion, most neutrals would agree that himself and Brian O'Meara shouldn't have gone off last year (in the All Ireland

semi final replay, against Tipperary)."

From the players' perspective, Larry Murphy thinks its ludicrous to force Wexford to play so soon after losing the Leinster final.

"Coming up on Sunday we were hoping for a long championship. Now we could be out of it in seven days. It's hardly fair when you think Clare have not been involved for a couple of weeks. I can't understand why they are in such a rush to get the game played."

Adrian Fenlon, who failed a fitness test on Saturday evening, could be fit to play next weekend. He had hamstring trouble and aggravated it in training last Wednesday night.

Referee Ger Harrington from Cork ended up playing approximately two minutes more in the first half of Sunday's Leinster hurling final than he

intended. Nearing the break he

informed his linesman that he would be adding on a minute, but played over three during which time Kilkenny scored two points and Wexford one.

The Wexford manager Tony Dempsey admitted that he had been made aware of it later, being informed that the ref's watch had stopped.

However, while hinting that at a general level he might be favourable to referees being relieved of the responsibility of time keeping, he conceded that what happened didn't influence the outcome.

The explanation for what happened is that one of two stopwatches used by Harrington didn't start when he pressed it at the throw in.

Referees' Committee spokesman Fr Seamus Gardiner said that Harrington accepted what happened. "It's a pity that the question of time keeping arose, because Ger did a very good job of

refereeing,'' he said. "There have been about four instances so far this year out of about 50 matches where errors have been made, but as far as we are

concerned, they are four too many.''

At a personal level, he was doubtful if there would be a change of policy in regard to the referee having sole

responsibility for time keeping. But, it's known that some top referees would favour the use of the clock, as obtains in Ladies Football.