‘Ref comments were measured’

Eamonn Fitzmaurice admits he went too far in suggesting David Coldrick’s assistants may have refereed the game better than the Meath man on Saturday.

In welcoming the appointment of Maggie Farrelly, who acting as sideline official on Saturday became the first female to officiate at a men’s senior inter-county game in Croke Park, Fitzmaurice said: “It’s a good step. She might have done a better job on refereeing the match maybe.”

Expanding on his comments, the Kerry manager said: “It was a throwaway comment at the end (of the interview). The point I was making was she or any of the linesman might have done a better job. I shouldn’t have said that because I had already made my comments about the referee and thought I had been quite measured.”