Ref chief defends controversial free decision

REFEREES’ spokesman Fr Seamus Gardiner yesterday clarified the decision to penalise Cork ’keeper Dónal Óg Cusack at the end of Sunday’s epic All-Ireland quarter-final clash with Waterford.

The decision attracted criticism from the Cork camp on the grounds that similar infringements earlier in the game had not been punished with frees but had resulted in throw-ins, while some observers asked why a penalty wasn’t awarded to Waterford if Cusack was guilty of an infringement in the square.

As Fr Gardiner pointed out yesterday, the foul was technical rather than aggressive.