Published: Wednesday, 14th July, 2010 5:00pm

Leinster final should have been replayed

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The crowning of Meath as Leinster champions on Sunday following the controversial goal against Louth should not have happened. It's clear to all - not to mention written in the rule books - that the goal should not have counted. It was carried over the line and it should have been a free out.

The referee, Tyrone man Martin Sludden, has admitted that he made a mistake and the goal should not have been allowed. And what was he thinking? It's hard to comprehend why he didn't consult both umpires in the goals before making the call, particularly since neither of them had raised the green flag to indicate a valid score. It's even harder to understand such a move in the dying seconds of the match when Louth was within touching distance of their first Leinster title in half a century.

That said, the scenes that followed the end of the game during which the referee was attacked and abused by Louth supporters and had to be swiftly escorted off the field by gardaí, were ugly and inexcusable. Of course the supporters were bitterly disappointed and the whole thing was very unfair but attacks on referees are never called for.

Moreover, reports calling the Meath scorer, Joe Sheridan (who has Cavan connections) a 'cheat' are equally unfair. He was in the heat of a very closely fought Leinster final and didn't know himself at the time whether the ball was over the line or not. It was not his call to allow the goal.

But in the spirit of the game and good sportsmanship, the final should be replayed. Why would Meath want to keep the title under such controversial circumstances when it's clear to all that Louth are the true Leinster champions of 2010? Surely, having such a cloud hanging over them for the remainder of the season and the championship can't help their campaign. And Meath's track record in championship replays is unrivalled.

That said, it is unfair to expect the Meath County Board to make a decision on this matter as one of the key parties involved. The central council of the GAA should step in and make the decision. They are the governing body and the neutral party in all of this and they should show some leadership and make the final call.

At the time of going to press, the Meath County Board was due to meet for a second consecutive night to debate the issue. It's difficult to see how they will agree to a replay at that stage, if they haven't already done so. Perhaps, they will decide that the result should stand, as the referees' decision is final, the cup was already presented and allowing a replay would set a dangerous precedent. They could also argue that the behaviour of the Louth fans following the game should not be rewarded.

However, this would be grossly unfair on the Louth players, management and the county board who have worked so hard on this campaign to claim their first provincial title in over 50 years.

So what if a precedent is set, we were all in favour of one being set in the soccer world when Henri's controversial 'handball' goal ended Ireland's world cup dream. At the end of the day this is a sport and fair play should prevail. The central council should order a replay with Meath's consent to determine this year's Leinster champions. Not to do so would cast a permanent cloud over an otherwise thrilling 2010 championship.

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