Quirke says sorry to ref for criticising penalty call

CORK goalkeeper Alan Quirke apologised to referee Maurice Deegan at half-time of Sunday’s Munster SFC semi-final in the wake of a controversial penalty decision against the Rebels.

Quirke was furious with the whistleblower who awarded a penalty to Kerry in the 23rd minute following a challenge by Ger Spillane on Darran O’Sullivan. Quirke, and a number of Cork players, remonstrated with the Laois official but the netminder concedes he should not have approached him.

“I thought it was maybe a bit harsh, but the referee has a job to do and I probably got involved with him and I shouldn’t. I apologised to him at half-time. He has a hard enough job to do. I am sure people will judge it on their tv’s whether it was a penalty or not.”