Ben O'Connor: Cork players were not told how much time was left 

The referee let play go for six seconds after Patrick Collins struck the initial free before calling time.

TALKING POINT: Cork players speak to referee James Owens at the final whistle. Pic: James Crombie/Inpho

Ben O’Connor has claimed his players were not told by Munster final referee James Owens how much time they had when opting to go short with a 78th-minute free.

Trailing by a point, Patrick Collins struck the free short to Mark Coleman, who then played a second short pass to Tim O’Mahony on halfway. 

Owens whistled for full-time as O’Mahony’s delivery fell into the Cork danger area.

The referee let play go for six seconds after Collins struck the initial free before calling time.

“I met some of the guys there and all they said to [James Owens] going off the field was that he didn't tell them it was the last puck of the ball. I thought normally a referee just said, ‘this is it, lads, you should go direct', but they said he didn’t,” said Ben O’Connor.

The Cork manager was asked about the last play further on in his post-match interview and was unable to clarify what exact communication there had been by the match referee to his players prior to Collins going short with the free from just outside Cork’s 45-metre line.

“I don’t know. One of the lads said to me coming off the field, he never said… that is what they were saying to him, ‘you never told us it was the last puck of the ball’. I am only getting third-hand information off the lads. That is what they said to me coming off. I was talking to them coming out and they said they weren’t told anything.” 

When it was put to the Cork manager that one of the Limerick players claimed he was told the 78th free was the last play, O'Connor repeated that Cork received no such information.

“It was great that he was told, but we weren't told when we got the free. It was brilliant that they told him. Fair play to whoever told him,” he continued.

Given the strength of the breeze Cork played into the second period, O’Connor had no qualms with the decision of his players to work the ball short from the free. 

He did take issue with an assertion from one member of the press box that Cork players had “surrounded” Owens as the official sought to leave the field at full-time.

“When you say they surrounded him, that's a little bit much. They were walking alongside him. He had his team of officials alongside him, stewards were walking alongside him, there was no one raised their voice. They just said, 'why didn't you tell us?' That was the only issue the boys had.” 

Assessing Owens’ overall performance, O’Connor’s verdict was that Cork were “harshly treated”.

“Thought a few decisions went against us. We were punished heavily for them. Thought it was very stop-start. Thought there was a lot of frees.

“Did we commit twice as many frees as the opposition? I'd have to watch it back on television, but ye saw it there live, lads, did we commit twice as many frees? I'm a Cork man so I'm saying we didn't. Ye are the neutrals so ye have to make up your mind on that.

“I thought we should have got a few more frees. Whatever about their frees, I thought we should have got a few more frees. A couple there in front of us, ball dropping from a puck out, and Brian Hayes being pulled backwards. William Buckley was turned upside down inside.

“Is it because we're not making enough noise over it? We're not throwing the hands up there and throwing a few shapes? I don't know.

“This is the fastest field game in the world. It is a split second, we had it above in the Leinster final last night, fellas looking for the Dublin corner-back to be sent-off. For what?

“I just think there were a few of them decisions that were hard against us. I am not taking away from Limerick's win either.

“Thought [Owens] done a great job the first day [Cork-Limerick Munster round-robin], but we won the first day, so maybe that’s why I’m giving out! I just thought today it was very whistle happy. You can’t be criticising these fellas. They are not getting paid. They are inside there and there is fierce pressure on them. It is a split-second decision. But I am looking at it through red eyes, and I thought we were harshly treated in a few of them.” 

Reflecting on the game itself, O’Connor accepted his team’s two-point interval lead, having been six up on the half hour, was insufficient.

“We probably weren't up enough at half-time. We were up six points and we didn't give away a few frees, there was a few frees given against us just before half-time. Brought them back into the game, so we were only two up at half-time. We knew it was going to be a battle. Delighted with our lads. 70 minutes gone, there was still only a puck of the ball between us.”

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