REPLAY TAKINGS FOR OMAGH FUND
Replay' takings for Omagh fund
By Alex McGreevy and John Haughey
A large part, if not all of the gate receipts from next week's refixed All-Ireland hurling semi-final, may be donated to the fund setup in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing.
It was speculated last night at Croke Park that officials were digesting proposals to make a substantial donation to the fund after deciding to replay the semi-final which concluded prematurely at Croke Park on Saturday. The game will take place at Thurles (3.30).
The match ended in uproar at the weekend when referee Jimmy Cooney concluded the affair almost three minutes before the end of normal time.
In his after match report, the Galwayman stated that he'd stopped his watch and forgot to reset it.
Clare believed they had reached their final in their defence of the McCarthy Cup but have since accepted the GAA's decision to refix the match.
The GAC considered referee Jimmy Cooney's match report in which the official acknowledged that he had made a mistake in finishing the match two and a half-minutes early.
It is understood that the referee, who has requested not to officiate at next Saturday's rematch, stopped his watch at some stage during the second half and then forget to restart it.
Then coming into the closing stages, a mix-up, when he asked one of his linesman how much time was left, led Cooney to blow the final whistle.
Cooney's fellow officials tried to bring to his attention the mistake at the finish but with security men already ushering the referee off the pitch, a restart wasn't deemed possible.
Furious Offaly fans staged a sit-down protest on the Croke Park turf and it was only when they were addressed by their county chairman, that they agreed to move out of the stadium some 90 minutes later.
Croke Park said yesterday that Rule 137 meant that GAC had "no option" but to refix the game.
Both counties, including Clare, accepted the decision yesterday. On Saturday evening, Clare boss Ger Loughnane discounted suggestions of a refixture but by yesterday morning, his view on the matter had changed.
Wexford referee Dickie Murphy will be in charge of the match while the curtain-raiser will be the All-Ireland U21 semi-final between Kilkenny and Galway (2pm).
Croke Park said that the GAC had "no function" in regard to admission prices for the refixture. However, they have recommended to the management committee that the game should have reduced admission prices.
The management committee of the GAA will make a decision on this issue today.
Distraught Offaly seemed ready to challenge Clare's grip on the All-Ireland title when the game was ended.
They had ripped apart Clare's 10 point advantage early in the second-half and were a swing of the ash away from stealing glory or earning a replay.
The Leinster defeated finalists trailed 1-12 to 0-5 after the break but answered any thoughts of submission, outscoring Clare 2-5 to 04 in a 20 minute period.
Offaly manager Michael Bond reshaped his forward line and introduced Billy Dooley and Joe Errity to hand his side the lift they sought.
It was Billy Dooley's 51st minute goal which boosted Offaly. The champions responded with two points from Jamesie O'Connor but when Joe Errity was fouled and dusted himself down to score a second goal for Offaly, Clare's seven point advantage was slipping from their grasp.
There were three points between the two when the untimely conclusion sent a wave of fury around the ground.
Meanwhile, the All-Ireland B U21 hurling final between Kerry and Kildare which was called off because of Saturday's pitch invasion has been refixed for next Sunday in Croke Park (12.15).
Clare: Fitzgerald, F Lohan, B Lohan, B Quinn, L Doyle, A McMahon (0-3), A Daly (0-1), C Chaplin, O Baker (0-1),J O'Connor (0-5), FTuohy (0-1), A Markham (1-3), D Forde, N Gilligan, B Murphy (0-2). Subs: Taaffe for Chaplin (55mins).
Offaly: Byrne, S Whelahan, Kinahan, Hanamy, B Whelahan (0-1), Rigney, Martin, Oakley, Pilkington (0-2), J Dooley (0-1), Troy (0-3), Duignan (0-1). Subs: Errity (1-0) for Oakley (21 mins), B Dooley (1 -1) for Hannify (half-time), G Hannify for Ryan (47mins).
Referee: J Cooney (Galway) Attendance: 38,015.
By Alex McGreevy and John Haughey
A large part, if not all of the gate receipts from next week's refixed All-Ireland hurling semi-final, may be donated to the fund setup in the aftermath of the Omagh bombing.
It was speculated last night at Croke Park that officials were digesting proposals to make a substantial donation to the fund after deciding to replay the semi-final which concluded prematurely at Croke Park on Saturday. The game will take place at Thurles (3.30).
The match ended in uproar at the weekend when referee Jimmy Cooney concluded the affair almost three minutes before the end of normal time.
In his after match report, the Galwayman stated that he'd stopped his watch and forgot to reset it.
Clare believed they had reached their final in their defence of the McCarthy Cup but have since accepted the GAA's decision to refix the match.
The GAC considered referee Jimmy Cooney's match report in which the official acknowledged that he had made a mistake in finishing the match two and a half-minutes early.
It is understood that the referee, who has requested not to officiate at next Saturday's rematch, stopped his watch at some stage during the second half and then forget to restart it.
Then coming into the closing stages, a mix-up, when he asked one of his linesman how much time was left, led Cooney to blow the final whistle.
Cooney's fellow officials tried to bring to his attention the mistake at the finish but with security men already ushering the referee off the pitch, a restart wasn't deemed possible.
Furious Offaly fans staged a sit-down protest on the Croke Park turf and it was only when they were addressed by their county chairman, that they agreed to move out of the stadium some 90 minutes later.
Croke Park said yesterday that Rule 137 meant that GAC had "no option" but to refix the game.
Both counties, including Clare, accepted the decision yesterday. On Saturday evening, Clare boss Ger Loughnane discounted suggestions of a refixture but by yesterday morning, his view on the matter had changed.
Wexford referee Dickie Murphy will be in charge of the match while the curtain-raiser will be the All-Ireland U21 semi-final between Kilkenny and Galway (2pm).
Croke Park said that the GAC had "no function" in regard to admission prices for the refixture. However, they have recommended to the management committee that the game should have reduced admission prices.
The management committee of the GAA will make a decision on this issue today.
Distraught Offaly seemed ready to challenge Clare's grip on the All-Ireland title when the game was ended.
They had ripped apart Clare's 10 point advantage early in the second-half and were a swing of the ash away from stealing glory or earning a replay.
The Leinster defeated finalists trailed 1-12 to 0-5 after the break but answered any thoughts of submission, outscoring Clare 2-5 to 04 in a 20 minute period.
Offaly manager Michael Bond reshaped his forward line and introduced Billy Dooley and Joe Errity to hand his side the lift they sought.
It was Billy Dooley's 51st minute goal which boosted Offaly. The champions responded with two points from Jamesie O'Connor but when Joe Errity was fouled and dusted himself down to score a second goal for Offaly, Clare's seven point advantage was slipping from their grasp.
There were three points between the two when the untimely conclusion sent a wave of fury around the ground.
Meanwhile, the All-Ireland B U21 hurling final between Kerry and Kildare which was called off because of Saturday's pitch invasion has been refixed for next Sunday in Croke Park (12.15).
Clare: Fitzgerald, F Lohan, B Lohan, B Quinn, L Doyle, A McMahon (0-3), A Daly (0-1), C Chaplin, O Baker (0-1),J O'Connor (0-5), FTuohy (0-1), A Markham (1-3), D Forde, N Gilligan, B Murphy (0-2). Subs: Taaffe for Chaplin (55mins).
Offaly: Byrne, S Whelahan, Kinahan, Hanamy, B Whelahan (0-1), Rigney, Martin, Oakley, Pilkington (0-2), J Dooley (0-1), Troy (0-3), Duignan (0-1). Subs: Errity (1-0) for Oakley (21 mins), B Dooley (1 -1) for Hannify (half-time), G Hannify for Ryan (47mins).
Referee: J Cooney (Galway) Attendance: 38,015.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0198
Published Date: 24-Aug-98
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