Kelly cool on Down Ring Cup appeal bid

THE infamous Offaly v Clare affair from 1998 cannot serve as a precedent if Down attempt to have their Christy Ring Cup final replayed, according to GAA President Sean Kelly.

Limerick referee Denis Richardson played only 33 minutes of the first half of Down’s defeat to Westmeath on Sunday prompting Down manager John Crossey to suggest that they should appeal the result.

However, Kelly rejected the notion that the incident resembled the All-Ireland semi-final of seven years ago when Jimmy Cooney blew the final whistle two minutes early with Clare three points in front.

“Any county can appeal anything but whether or not they are successful is another matter. It is regretful that there seemed to be a shortage of play in the first half. Against that, there’s a big difference between a shortage of play in the first half and a shortage in the second.”

Kelly claimed that the precedent didn’t apply in the sense that “if you’re close towards the end of the match there’s obviously a possibility to draw or win the game. I’ve never seen it happen before where a shortage of play before half-time was the cause of an objection afterwards.”