No player protest at wrong card, ref reveals

DECLAN CORCORAN, the referee who wrongly dismissed Leitrim footballer Michael Duignan in the FBD League, has claimed the player never questioned his decision.

The error occurred when Duignan received a yellow card followed by a red card as the referee mistook him for another Leitrim player who was booked earlier.

The official, who takes charge of the TG4/O’Neills Ladies Football All Star exhibition game in Dubai on Saturday, last night explained his error.

“According to my book I had number 9 already booked, so it was a second yellow followed by a red — based on what I had written down, ‘’ he explained.

“But then when I went home and I was ready to write the report, I found I had made the mistake. Then I wrote on my referee’s report that I had made a genuine mistake and I apologised to the player for that as well.

“The player never questioned my decision. If he told me he hadn’t been booked I would have obviously asked him what his name was and I would have checked it there and then. It would have been sorted and that would have been it. There would have been no more about it.

“Michael has been cleared and the result of the game stands. Galway did not agree to a replay because the game was finished. It was a human mistake. At the end of the day referees will make mistakes as well as players and managers.”

Corcoran added that he never hesitated about coming clean, explaining: “the fact that it was me who made the mistake I felt it was better to come out and acknowledge it rather than cover it up. I believe that honesty is the best policy in situations like that!”

The Islandeady official is thrilled to be in Dubai: “It’s a great honour to be chosen. The fact that I refereed the All-Ireland Ladies final in 2006 was partly to do with being nominated.