Creavin reiterates stance on final fiasco

A TOP Meath official has stood over the county’s refusal to grant Louth a Leinster football final replay, insisting the GAA ‘cannot run its affairs on sentiment’.

Huge pressure came upon Meath to offer Louth a re-fixture of their infamous Leinster final tie after the Royal County won with an illegal Joe Sheridan goal.

Meath secretary Cyril Creavin is still fuming about the ‘media circus’ that raged in Meath for several days after the July encounter.

He hit out at the GAA for not acting immediately and clarifying that a replay wasn’t permitted by rule.

And while he accepted this was tough on Louth who were cruelly denied a first title in 53 years, he said the rulebook can’t be altered to allow for moral justice.

“That may sound harsh but the GAA cannot run its affairs on sentiment,” claims Creavin in his report to Meath’s annual convention.

“Claims that Meath cheated are all wide of the mark as Joe Sheridan clearly made an effort to kick the ball to the net.

“Should there have been a re-fixture? The GAA should have made it clear immediately after the game, the cup was presented, the game awarded to Meath, end of story.

“Re-fixing games because of incorrect decisions would totally undermine the GAA system.

“That statement should have been made Sunday evening, that as the present rules stand under no circumstances should a re-fixture be considered.”