Appeal of disputed final score and mystery point could hold up Longford championship

The referee reported a scoreline that didn't tally with broadcasters and local journalists.

File pic of Mullinalaghta St Columba's team from 2022. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

The Longford Senior Football Championship could be delayed after Mullinalaghta lodged an objection to the match result against Carrickedmond in their final Group B game on Saturday evening. The appeal will be heard on Friday night by Longford’s CCC at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

The 2018 Leinster Club Football champions Mullinalaghta believed they had won the encounter 2-12 to 2-11 and therefore topped the group. However, referee David Tiernan had the result down as a draw 2-12 to 2-12.

While the official scoreboard, Clubber TV, local press and Longford GAA had the half-time score as 2-6 to 0-5 in favour of Mullinalaghta, the match official informed both sides that he had recorded it as 2-6 to 0-6.

Carrickedmond staged a remarkable comeback and thought they had claimed a vital draw. There was more drama after the game as four teams in the group finished on five points and the score difference from the games involving just those four were taken into account. 

Carrickedmond had secured fourth place in the group at the expense of Dromard. Abbeylara finished top, last year’s beaten finalists Clonguish second with Mullinalaghta in third and Carrickedmond in fourth.

Although the result of the Mullinalaghta game impacted Dromard, the North Longford club couldn’t appeal it because they didn’t partake in the game. They had to rely on an appeal by Mullinalaghta or the referee’s report stating a different scoreline.

Mullinalaghta were adamant they had won the game. The subject of the controversial ‘point’ arose after the game. Longford GAA tweeted a round-up of the group games but stated at the end of the tweet: ‘These final group placings are subject to confirmation of referees' reports.’ 

Over the weekend the video of the game was reviewed. At present it is still unclear what Tiernan included in his match report.

Although the quarter-finals pairings have been confirmed, no details of the fixtures due to be played on the weekend of Septemeber 14-15 had been released by Longford GAA.

Longford GAA Stats tweeted a breakdown of every score with the final score 2-12 to 2-11 in favour of Mullinalaghta while local newspaper the Longford Leader recorded 2-11 scored by Carrickedmond in their teams and scorers section.

The result of the appeal will have repercussions for other teams. If Mullinalaghta are awarded the game they will top the group and play neighbours St. Mary’s Granard in the quarter-finals. Abbeylara in second, Clonguish third, with Dromard clinching the last quarter-final place. 

Carrickedmond will then have to face into a relegation play-off game with Kenagh who finished bottom of Group A. Carrickedmond would then feel aggrieved having believed they had advanced to the last eight of the competition