Galway hope to make their point

GALWAY’S attempt to get back into contention for a place in the TG4 All-Ireland senior ladies final against Cork will depend on how the association’s Central Council responds to an appeal from them later in the week.

However, ladies football association chief executive Helen O’Rourke pointed out last night that they are subject to the same rules as the GAA in this regard.

Ultimately, it seems that everything will depend on whether or not the council adopts the referee’s report from last Saturday’s semi-final in Hyde Park, in which Armagh won by a point which was scored at the very end of the game.

In the preceding action, Galway believe they scored a point, which was waved wide.

From the resultant kick-out Armagh worked the ball down field and won a free which dramatically won them the game.

Helen O’Rourke revealed that she was on her way back to Dublin from Roscommon when she was contacted.

GAA rules are very specific in the context of ‘scores’ not being allowed, although some change was made at the recent Congress. They do not allow for games to be replayed.

There is, however, a precedent for a re-fixture in such circumstances — as prevailed in the Leinster football championship game between Carlow and Laois in 1996.

On that occasion, Carlow were denied a legitimate point and subsequently lost the game by this margin.

But, while the provincial council adopted the referee’s report, Laois sportingly agreed to play the game again.