Colin Healy on referee's drop ball gaffe: 'You would like to think they would know that rule'

Law 8 of the Laws of the Game was updated in 2019. It says: “If a dropped ball enters the goal without touching at least two players, play is restarted with a goal kick.”

Colin Healy was left frustrated with referee David Connolly. Photo by Ray McManus/Sportsfile

Cork City boss Colin Healy will have referees and players flicking back through the Laws of the Game after he expressed his frustration at a costly goal scored from a drop ball against his side.

City were 2-0 up against Cabinteely in the second half at Stradbrook in the First Division clash last weekend when the Dubliners produced a late fightback to snatch a point.

City were cruising at 2-0 when Eoin McPhillips pulled the first goal back.

Referee David Connolly had awarded a drop ball which McPhillips took possession from and his cross went over the head of City keeper Mark McNulty and straight into the net without another player touching the ball.

Law 8 of the Laws of the Game has been updated several times in the past decade, most recently in 2019.

It says: “If a dropped ball enters the goal without touching at least two players, play is restarted with a goal kick.”

Cabo went on to grab a late equaliser though Ben Feeney. Speaking ahead of next Friday night’s FAI Cup clash with St Patrick’s Athletic at Turner’s Cross, it’s clear the first goal still rankles with Healy.

“The first goal shouldn’t have been allowed,” said Healy yesterday. “You can’t score directly from a drop ball. The lad has got the ball and he’s put in the back of the net. You can’t score. That’s the rule. It should be restarted with a goal kick.

“If you’re giving other teams goals like that, it’s going to be very difficult. That shouldn’t happen at this level. I know referees make mistakes, that happens in the game with decisions, tackles, but a rule like that — that shouldn’t happen, and that cost us three points.”

Healy said he didn’t approach the referee about the decision. “The players spoke to the ref. You would like to think they would know that rule. If Cabinteely don’t score that, they don’t get back in the game.

“We train all week, we prepare well, the lads are working so hard, you’re winning 2-0 and then to get a goal like that, to bring them back into the game. It makes my job very, very difficult.”

While the dropped two points could prove very costly to City’s hopes of reaching the play-offs — they are 11 points adrift of fifth place, with seven games to play — they are nevertheless in strong form, unbeaten in seven games going into the FAI Cup second-round clash with St Patrick’s Athletic on Friday night.

Pat’s are challenging Shamrock Rovers for the Premier Division crown, just three points off the champions despite defeat last weekend, and will present a huge challenge to the Leesiders.

But having knocked out another high-flying Premier Division side, Sligo Rovers, at the Showgrounds in the last round, Healy can see another upset this week at Turner’s Cross.

“Pat’s are super team, they got some very good players, a very good manager as well,” said Healy, scorer of a wonder overhead kick against the Inchicore side in 2014.

“We’ll have to be at our best to beat them.”

Healy briefly played with Saints boss Stephen O’Donnell during the Galway man’s injury-interrupted spell at Turner’s Cross and regularly faced him while he was skipper of bitter rivals Dundalk.

“Stevie’s a great lad, he was a fantastic player, what he did for Dundalk was incredible. For me, he was always the main player for Dundalk, everything revolved around Stevie, everything went through Stevie, he was a brilliant player and a very intelligent player, and he’s great fella off the pitch as well, which is important.

“He made Dundalk tick. He was a super, super, player. He had a hell of a career, and he’s doing well at the moment at Pat’s. I’m delighted that he’s doing so well for Pat’s but hopefully not too well on Friday night.”

The cup is special to Healy, who bowed out as a player shortly after winning the cup in dramatic circumstances against Dundalk at Aviva Stadium in 2016, after making a substitute appearance in an extra-time victory.

“I just probably thought that time was probably the best to retire at the end of that year, I thought probably to go out on a high, probably the best way to do it.

“I loved my time playing at Cork City and it’d be great if we got a nice run in this in this competition, for the players and for the fans as well.”