Did referee Roche exceed authority on crucial free?

TIPPERARY referee Seamus Roche is understood to have exceeded his authority in Sunday’s All-Ireland semi-final by changing his award of a Kilkenny free to a throw-in.

It led directly to the scoring of Galway’s fourth goal at the three-quarters stage of the game and had a crucial bearing on the outcome.

Authoritative sources questioned the correctness of Roche’s call, which he made after an alleged remark from the Kilkenny captain Peter Barry - the player who had actually won the free.