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Dublin's Bernard Brogan celebrates scoring the winning point from a free kick during the final moments of the match. INPHO/Cathal Noonan

Poll: was the referee right to award Dublin a last-minute free yesterday?

Pat Gilroy’s men booked their place in the provincial decider thanks ultimately to a late pointed free kick from Bernard Brogan. The call has prompted much debate – what’s your view?

KEITH BARR INSISTS in this morning’s Irish Independent that it was the wrong decision while John Fogarty in the Irish Examiner writes ‘the view of this writer from the press box showed referee Cormac Reilly was correct to award the free’.

Whatever the merits or otherwise of the official’s late, late call, Bernard Brogan tapped over the point and Dublin booked their place in another Leinster SFC final.

The Lilywhites had battled back in the second half at Croke Park, enjoying a numerical advantage thanks to Eoghan O’Gara’s dismissal, to get level in the final moments.

Then Andriú Mac Lochlainn was adjudged to have stopped the Footballer of the Year from getting out to the ball.

The pundits and journalists seem split. What’s your view?


Poll Results:

It was never a free (727)
It was a free (330)

Watch the footage here:

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41 Comments
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    Mute Matthew Gleeson
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:42 AM

    I personally think that this was a disgraceful decision. It was clearly NOT a free. I think that a greater use of technology needs to be used to combat these ill-informed decisions. A TMO like in Rugby? It should have been a replay and fair play to both teams for a cracking match!

    42
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    Mute John Manahan
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:46 AM

    The referee in y/days match was an abomination. Giving stupid frees, getting in the way, doling out ridiculous yellow cards and to top it all the ludicrous final free. The sending off incident was also wrong ( should have been straight red not 2nd yellow).

    40
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    Mute Martin D Murtagh
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:50 AM

    Let’s face it folks Kildare went 9 minutes without scoring against 14 men. The free should not have any significance if Kildare were up to it.

    36
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    Mute Matthew Gleeson
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:55 AM

    I think the fact that they were able to get past the blanket defence that Dublin created and draw level demonstrated Kildare’s belief. However I don’t think this conversation should dissolve into Dublin Vs. Kildare- who’s the better team- the poll is about the decision to award a soft-free in the dying seconds of an otherwise cracking game of football, when I believe both sides would have accepted a draw.

    45
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    Mute Danny moran
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    Jun 27th 2011, 1:08 PM

    In fairness Martin, if Dublin were as good as they make out, this decision shouldn’t matter that much either. Fair play to Kildare, they took the outrageous decision as true sportsmen

    23
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    Mute Tom Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 11:13 AM

    If the ref is going to blow the whistle every time one player tugs another player’s jersey then it will be one long game of frees! Would he have given the same free against Dublin under hill 16? I think not!

    29
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    Mute Donal Marah
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    Jun 27th 2011, 11:54 AM

    it clearly states in the rule book that the ref should not allow one player gain advantage over another by pulling a jersey. So yes the ref should blow up more often which will lead to an eradication of this behavior.

    Defenders will soon realise they cannot get away with such actions and they will stop fouling. One would hope the ref would have given the same decision under the Hill. The same decision should be given if it happened anywhere on the field.

    The Hill itself is another issue totally, I totally disagree with the Dubs getting soul ownership of it when they are playing. It was fine when the Canal was a terrace as the opposing fans could go to the Canal. But what about the Kildare fans who enjoy watching a game from the terrace or want to take advantage of the cheaper tickets on the Hill? Personally I think, it should be split half and half between opposing fans or quarters yesterday as 4 teams were playing.

    20
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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 9:46 PM

    I think it was an off the ball incident to prevent the Dublin player from getting to the ball first , yes it was a free.A most stupid free from a player to concede. should it have been given, yes in my opinion

    3
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    Mute Donal Marah
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:55 AM

    In all fairness a TMO would NEVER be used in a decision like this, if it was you would have to use a TMO in every free awarded within scoring distance and this would slow the game down totally and ruin the game. The only way a TMO or similar will be introduced in GAA is to decide if a ball goes over the bar or not.

    I personally think if the camera could show the 5 seconds before were it starts you will see the defender tug out of Brogan’s jersey just as he starts his run, defender then throws his hands in the air to try and con the ref. The Ref has the perfect view and awarded the free. The tugging of the forwards jersey has become part and parcel of our game and truthfully the refs should award more frees for it. Every defender in the country tries this tug and refs let 90% of them away with it.

    21
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    Mute Denis McCrohan
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    Jun 27th 2011, 11:21 AM

    It was a free, the ref gave it (right or wrong). He was appointed to make the difficult calls. Just get over it. I am supprised there are not more calls for a second referee. Less ground to cover, a second opinion and another viewpoint.

    20
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    Mute Keith Hand
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    Jun 27th 2011, 11:49 AM

    In fairness Kildare got a lot of soft frees in the game aswell. The ref was very whistle happy so any hint of contact and he was always going to give a free. Would anyone be complaining if this happened in the 50th minute?

    17
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    Mute Gina Byrne
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    Jun 27th 2011, 1:15 PM

    Good point Keith re 50th minute. The referee’s decision should not be coloured by the fact that it is level and last minute etc. How many times have we heard complaints about playing for the draw, another gate etc. If @Donal’s point above re jersy pull above is correct, then I say it was commendable and brave of the ref.

    11
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    Mute John East
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    Jun 27th 2011, 11:31 AM

    the gaa would have been happy if it finished level. another gate for them. more money. remember 91 dubs v meath. they cleaned up then.

    14
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    Mute seamus moore
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    Jun 27th 2011, 1:30 PM

    I’m a Kildareman. Disappointed? Yes. The end of the world? No. Did we see the future All Ireland champs win? I doubt it ( will probably end up eating my words in Sept!) what we saw was one more inept call from a ref who spent the afternoon going about his business ineptly to the detriment of the game and the frustration of both players and fans on both sides. It won’t be the last such display of refereeing incompetence in this year’s championship. What’s more disconcerting is Pat Gilroy’s take on the last action as outlined by him in an interview on RTE after the match. If I heard him correctly, he said it was a great display of character on the part of his team to go up the field and get the last point! If that’s the Dub manager’s understanding of ‘character’. I expect a rattle to be thrown out of the pram by him when future decisions and/or results don’t go his way and all their games aren’t gifted to him on a silver platter.

    12
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    Mute Guinness Follower
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    Jun 27th 2011, 5:51 PM

    A bit sore are we?

    Ye were hammered by 14 men and ye had the ref on your side too which makes it even funnier!!!

    7
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    Mute Richard Humphreys
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    Jun 27th 2011, 6:15 PM

    Sore is a good word for it, hammered by 14 men????? Always tough lose a match to an injury time score. Thought it was time to move on a couple of hours after the match and just get on with it. Dublin played smart and won. Passion always runs high when its so personal, thats why it shows why its such a great game, come on the lillies.

    3
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    Mute Tom Kelly
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    Jun 28th 2011, 1:10 AM

    “hammered”! lol – it was only a last minute gift! Thats the dub arrogance that pisses everyone off!

    5
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    Mute Oil Foster
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    Jun 27th 2011, 7:30 PM

    I was on the canal end yesterday. The foul took place before the start of your clip, a subtle tug on the jersey. Fair play to the ref for having the guts to call it as he seen it.

    7
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    Mute Terry Turner
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    Jun 27th 2011, 12:54 PM

    Dublin should do the right thing and offer Kildare a replay. After all that’s what we wanted France to do after the Thierry He nry foul that the ref. Ignored.

    6
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    Mute James Comerford
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    Jun 27th 2011, 2:15 PM

    Laughable…

    5
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    Mute Guinness Follower
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    Jun 27th 2011, 5:49 PM

    LOL!!!! Enjoy the qualifiers ya big looooooooooooser!!!

    4
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    Mute Oil Foster
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    Jun 27th 2011, 7:29 PM

    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
    ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

    2
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    Mute Keith Hand
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    Jun 27th 2011, 5:25 PM

    Were all the Kildare fans complaining after Geraghtys goal was ruled out in the last round. I think not! Swings and roundabouts and all that!

    5
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    Mute Conor Reilly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 5:37 PM

    Of course not. Kildare were deprived of an Ireland final spot a year ago due to a much clearer square ball than geraghtys which was marginal.

    Look most Kildare fans arent just pinpointing this as the reason why Kildare lost. The media are doing this. Most Kildare fans are more worried about the change in tactics that didn’t work in the first half and had Kildare 6 points down.

    8
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    Mute James Comerford
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    Jun 27th 2011, 2:18 PM

    Defender clips forwards heels because he was away after a point scoring opportunity. How is there no free in that. please explain?? It was a cynical heel clip plain and simple. It would have been a free 5 minutes in, but because it was a free in the dying minute its a big hullaballoo…… one does wonder.

    5
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    Mute Billie Hetfield
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:01 PM

    I forgot to add, Kildare wasted a number of “scorable” free kicks and a 45. They didn’t finish their chances.

    5
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    Mute Vinny Doherty
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    Jun 27th 2011, 8:01 PM

    Ah shite,it was a disgraceful decision and any person in their right mind would have let it go..very poor decision..like I said feel for those Kildare lads

    5
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    Mute Jimk Kelly
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    Jun 27th 2011, 9:57 PM

    What let frees go ,next we will have character acting like they have in premier football .It was a most definite free but the issue is as it was near full time should the ref have left it ,go,, Im not a Dub . a free is a free anytime …it was a stupid free to give away.neat full time

    1
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    Mute Chris lynch
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    Jun 27th 2011, 1:56 PM

    I think the only reason he gave the free was because the Dub player should never have received the first yellow card which eventually led to a red after the second yellow. I think the ref played to get Dublin the win that if they had 15 men would have won..

    5
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    Mute Jerry Kelliher
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    Jun 27th 2011, 12:06 PM

    people are on about tmo why ? let the gaa sort out there referees who picks them,they must be sorry that they picked him they just lost 1,million (GREAT) jerry from kerry.

    5
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    Mute Paul Kennedy
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    Jun 27th 2011, 2:16 PM

    If the standard of refereeing across ALL GAA games was at an acceptable, then we wouldn’t be having this discussion — we’d just be calling it was it is, ‘one of those calls’ and people would get over it. These things happen.
    But the fact is, there are far too many calls like this being made (or not being made, which is as bad because consistency is paramount), and over the course of a weekend it paints a very bad picture for the GAA and their referees. The standard across the board needs to be raised much, much higher.

    Referees need to earn the respect required for us to be to be able to accept that sometimes they might get a decision wrong. I honestly can’t tell if this particular decision was right or wrong, but I bet that had he been refereeing to a high standard all through the game, then either this situation wouldn’t have happened, or we just shrug our shoulders and say “oh well, that’s sport.”

    4
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    Mute Thomas Stadler
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    Jun 27th 2011, 6:18 PM

    If you have to win a match this way, fair or not, against a team like Kildare, then being blunt it doesn’t matter either way as you are not going to get past the Qtr finals. Let the annual hyping of Dublin and how this year they are going to win commence.

    2
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    Mute Vinny Doherty
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    Jun 27th 2011, 7:15 PM

    As a Mayo man great game of football..not in castlebar,I know ye thought that but croke park..the referee was an absolute disgrace..I feel sad for every lad that stood up and fought as hard as he could..Kildare,what can ya say,robbed..it should have been a draw..even if that corner back shot brogan in the head,use your common sense man!patethic!20 seconds left let it roll and let these two good sides have a whack again..on a side note,Galway lads,patethic..what’s going on there?

    2
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    Mute Billie Hetfield
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    Jun 27th 2011, 8:49 PM

    How is that common sense? A foul should be given no matter what minute it occurs in. The real blame should lay at the Kildare #2. He was stupid enough to foul him. He cost his team the game.

    5
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    Mute Pilib O Muiregan
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    Jun 27th 2011, 3:33 PM

    its football for ya, decisions can go against you, but no doubt kildare have got soft frees in the past that changed games, and will prob benefit more from the extra game as well

    2
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    Mute Dave
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    Jun 27th 2011, 11:35 PM

    While I agree that the referee made an incorrect decision it must be remembered that he is an amateur like the players are.
    If any player was given the same level of criticism in the media there would be uproar about abusing amateur players!

    1
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    Mute Herby Donnelly
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    Jun 28th 2011, 7:53 PM

    get a life u looders, come on the dubs !

    1
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    Mute Keith Hand
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    Jun 27th 2011, 5:50 PM

    Yeah I know. Kildare never really took advantage of the extra man. All I’m saying is that sometimes you get decisions, sometimes you don’t. Referees don’t get everything right. Imo it was very very soft but I can see why he gave it.

    1
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    Mute Gus Lynch
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    Jun 27th 2011, 10:31 PM

    I was on the Canal End also yesterday. I was the rather annoying man who kept disturbing nearby patrons by bringing my kids to the bathroom every ten minutes…

    I didn’t think it was much of a foul, but I’ll take it! It made up for the numerous occasions in the second half that he could’ve given frees in to Dublin, but didn’t whilst playing ‘advantage’ (a concept which doesn’t exist in Gaelic Football) – particularly after the sending off.

    Felt genuinely sorry for Geezer and the Kildare lads – not sorry enough to offer a replay mind.

    Not sure we’ll be troubling the engraver this year, but we’re still in with a shout,as, after all, are Kildare.

    1
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    Mute Dan duggan
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    Jun 28th 2011, 12:24 AM

    Soccer with hands. Or the class spas who couldn’t master hurling. Crap sport.

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    Mute Conor Reilly
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    Jun 28th 2011, 7:40 AM

    You rebel. Another informative YouTube style comment. Well done

    3
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