Down and out
Meath's Graham Geraghty holds his face after a clash with Noel O'Leary of Cork during yesterday's All-Ireland SFC semi-final at Croke Park
CORK left Croke Park yesterday with a passport for next month’s All-Ireland football final, but now face an anxious wait before discovering if wing-back Noel O’Leary will be allowed to play.
O’Leary was booked by Cavan referee Brian Crowe after flooring Graham Geraghty in the 11th minute and, while it looked at the time as if it may have been a push, TV pictures showed that it was more serious.
Geraghty took a punch to the face which could land O’Leary in trouble if the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee decide to re-visit the incident.
The CCCC have the power to ask the referee if he is happy that he made the right decision in an incident which was repeatedly shown on TV. Prior to this year, there could be no intervention by the disciplinary bodies if the referee had adjudicated on an incident but that rule was changed, which means that O’Leary could face sanction.
He was suspended in similar circumstances after the Munster final, following an investigation by the CCCC, arising from an incident in which no action was taken by the referee.
If O’Leary is ruled out of the final, it will be a severe loss to Cork as he played very well yesterday on a well-drilled team that demolished Meath with remarkable ease. Cork’s 1-16 to 0-9 victory was fashioned off a solid midfield base, where Nicholas Murphy and Derek Kavanagh, with help from Michael Cussen, who drifted out from the attack, were far too imposing for Meath who managed just six points from play.
Cork led by 0-8 to 0-6 at halftime but completely overran Meath in a one-sided second half. A delightfully chipped goal by Kevin McMahon in the 51st minute headlined a great day for Cork as they powered into the final for the first time since 1999.
It was bitterly disappointing for Meath who had built up impressive momentum via the qualifiers, but they were strictly second-best yesterday as Cork finally unleashed the full force which had remained largely hidden in earlier games.
The absence of centre-forward and captain Anthony Moyles was a big loss for Meath, but it’s most unlikely that even his influence would have bridged the gap on a day when Cork were ominously efficient. Meath supporters out-numbered Cork at least five to one in the crowd of 37,994, a rather disappointing turnout.
It led to a very subdued atmosphere, not in keeping with the great occasions in the 1987-’90 period when games between this pair left Croke Park rocking.
Meanwhile, Galway minors qualified for the All-Ireland for the first time since 1994, beating Kerry in the semi-final. They will meet Laois or Derry in the final.
