Referee replacement ‘not sinister’

NICKEY BRENNAN has insisted there was no “sinister motive” behind news that Dickie Murphy has replaced Pat O’Connor as referee for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final between Kilkenny and Galway.

The tie has been in the spotlight since Ger Loughnane questioned the legality of some of the All-Ireland champions’ defending this week.

Brian Cody has refused to rise to the bait of ‘savagery’ dangled by his counterpart but Kilkenny county board chairman Pat Dunphy claimed Loughane was “trying to get at the ref”.