Croke Park waiting on referee's report

The report from referee Niall Barrett, who is at the centre of the controversy surrounding the Westmeath-Carlow championship match, was due to have arrived in Croke Park within 24 hours of the conclusion of the game.

The Cork official was the first to be appointed to take charge of a championship match in another province, under the new guidelines being implemented by the Central Referees Appointments Committee (CRAC).

He was widely castigated by players and officials from both sides after dismissing six players and booking a further 14.

Yesterday, Paddy Collins, who is part of the three man CRAC team disagreed that his performance gave credence to the argument that the new appointment procedure had been ill-conceived.

"Not at all. The referee in question is vastly experienced, he has officiated a number of Munster finals and the situation is that this procedure was passed at Congress to operate over a 12-month period and will be enforced accordingly," he said yesterday.

However, he did allow that some of the decisions taken by Barrett did not seem to complement the general spirit of the game.

"The kernel of this is, I would feel, that Niall Barrett's interpretation of the rules governing rough play were excessive and inflexible. That's the limit of what I'd say."

(Mr Collins did point out on RTE last night that a number of dismissals enforced by the referee were no less than the fouls merited).

The conclusion of yesterday's game offered spectators the scarcely believable scenario of 11 players competing against 13 and unlike most other major sports, gaelic games does not have a provision which requires an abandonment after a given number of players are sent from the field.

Collins did not foresee the aftermath of yesterday's game prompting the introduction of such a guideline.

"No, I think yesterday was a once off and I certainly don't see that redressing that aspect of the rules as being a priority of the GAA."

Meanwhile, it is likely that the Games Administration Committee will deal with the content of the report over the coming days.

Westmeath are due to play in next round of the championship on Sunday week and manager Brendan Lowry will be anxious to learn of the fate of Rory O'Connell and Kenny Lyons, who were both sent off by referee Barrett.

"We are expecting the report imminently and the procedure will move quickly ahead from there," said Sean O'Laoire of the GAC yesterday.

There is a chance that both Westmeath players might be cleared to play in the next round.

"The minimal suspension for a red card offence extends merely for the duration of that match. The next suspension is for one month," clarified Mr O'Laoire.

The fall-out from the Leinster preliminary round match was, of course, felt most acutely in Carlow, where the idea of a replay was being mooted with half-hearted hope yesterday.

Asked about such a possibility by RTE's Marty Morrissey, Carlow manager Cyril Hughes readily admitted he'd welcome such a development.

"Not so much for myself as for the players. A replay would be great but who is going to grant it for us?", he said.

The game has sparked off renewed debate about the standard of refereeing and a series of hashed attempts to implement a more sharply defined execution of the rules.

It also led to questions about the wisdom of appointing outside officials for provincial championship games.

"Well, I would have been an opponent of the system but it was introduced by Congress and I can only comply with it now," offered Leinster council chairman Seamus Aldridge, who deemed further comment inappropriate at what he described as "a sensitive time."

Meanwhile, Paddy Powers bookmakers are offering 25 to 1 on less players finishing the 1999 All-Ireland final than complete the FA Cup final.