As unholy messes go, this is about as bad as it gets for the GAA and for Glen.
A rule was clearly broken with 16 players from Kilmacud involved in the play as they defended a 45 in the dying seconds of last Sunday’s All-Ireland final at Croke Park, holding a two point lead.
Rule 6.44 states that the punishment “on a proven objection” for such an offence is awarding of the game to the opposing team, a replay or a fine, “depending on the circumstances.”
This caveat gives the GAA some wriggle room.
Read next: Glen ponder appeal after controversial All-Ireland Club final defeat to Kilmacud
The rule could hardly be any clearer, but the punishment couldn’t be more vague in terms of what course of action the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) might take if they investigate.
What makes this ten times worse for all involved - as with the Joe Sheridan incident in the Meath/Louth 2010 Leinster final - is that the trophy has already been presented.
Kilmacud Crokes are continuing to celebrate.
Okay it’s a club game, and not as high profile as the inter-county game, but the fact there’s an All-Ireland title on the line and not a provincial crown means the stakes are every bit as high as Meath/Louth.
On that occasion, the GAA left it up to Meath, who decided against offering Louth a replay.
In one way, this is not like the Joe Sheridan goal, which was a refereeing decision and open to interpretation.
It’s more like a Hawk-Eye decision - a statement of fact.
And we saw a Hawk-Eye call from a 45, involving Shane Walsh, reversed at half time to correctly award a point to Galway in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final victory over Derry.
Kilmacud had 16 men defending the final play. That’s a fact.
However, if the GAA categorise it as a refereeing error, they may be reluctant to go back and re-referee an incident in the game.
Making it even more emotive is the manner in which Kilmacud lost last year’s All-Ireland final - to a last-gasp Kilcoo goal with the final kick of extra-time.
But all the emotional stuff, and the fact it’s a final, although heightening the focus on the incident, shouldn’t really come into it. The rulebook is the rulebook.
A mistake was made by the match officials in not ensuring Dara Mullin was off the field before the 45 was kicked.
Whatever Mullin’s intentions were, and what he did or didn’t know, are irrelevant.
Incidentally, it was Mullin who cut out the last ditch Kerins O’Rahillys attack in the All-Ireland semi-final and cleared the ball to safety.
The Glen 45 was taken by Danny Tallon almost immediately after Conor Casey was introduced for Mullin.
Casey runs in and Mullin, who is standing on the goaline, barely has time to get off the field, but he doesn’t show any inclination to go. Maybe he was unaware his number was up.
The referee, Derek O’Mahoney appeared to blow his whistle and signal that Tallon could go ahead with the 45, even though Mullin was still on the field.
If the referee had ordered a re-take, this unseemly mess could have been avoided.
Glen boss Malachy O’Rourke says they asked for one, but it didn’t happen.
This would suggest the referee was content with what unfolded.
O’Mahoney then appears to usher Mullin off the field after the 45 where Kilmacud had 16 men defending, so there is little doubt he is aware of it.
Will he mention it in his report and highlight the possible error? If so, the GAA may have little choice but to act, although the indications are that they have thrown it back into Glen’s court.
The Tipperary official will have seen the subsequent pictures, and if a mistake was made he may well put that in his report.
Plenty have said Glen should take their beating.
No doubt plenty of Glen players and people will feel they had their chances and should accept the result. Others won’t.
They are in a tricky position. Make an appeal and they will be seen as sore losers.
And what will unfold if they do? Could it leave a cloud hanging over a club at the peak of their powers?
Might they regret it if they don’t pursue it further?
There would have been no fuss if the incident happened early on in the game, but then it’s unlikely that Glen would have been going for a goal from a 45.
Some had said they had little chance of scoring a goal at the end anyway.
Again, that’s not relevant when it comes to the rules and enforcing them.
And yet, last year’s two All-Ireland club finals were decided by dramatic last gasp goals wiping out two point leads.
Others have said the goal was less likely as it was a set piece, but that’s exactly how Cargin knocked Glenties out of last year’s Ulster club championship.
It does happen, and regularly enough.
There is a reason so many late winning goals occur against teams with a two point lead.
Psychologically, the leading team seems to sit back and become fearful and tentative, while the other side hurls bodies forward.
If both sides hurled bodies forward throughout the match there would be tonnes of goals in every contest, but the game is not played like that.
So the chances of Glen scoring a goal were reasonably high as witnessed by Conor Glasses’ near miss seconds earlier which led to the final 45.
Sheer desperation sets in on both sides.
Mullin may not have touched the ball, but the extra Kilmacud player does make a difference in terms of how the play might unfold.
Ultimately the GAA have to establish the facts and go by the rulebook.
No doubt the GAA would like this to go away and Kilmacud certainly would.
Glen probably aren’t too happy with it either.
They are in an extremely awkward position.
The GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) had the power to act but now it appears it will be up to Glen to appeal.
Everyone wants to win on the field of play and not in the boardroom.
The pictures show what happened and it creates a serious headache for the GAA, who generally regard the referee’s report as sacrosanct.
Replays have been offered by clubs in quite a few six subs sagas over the years, but none of them were All-Ireland finals, and it’s highly unlikely Kilmacud Crokes will step in here.
It should come down to whether the incident is viewed as a refereeing error or a breach of rule, but not if the CCCC or Glen don’t step in first.
Read next:
- Legendary GAA manager Mick O'Dwyer, 86, marries Tyrone woman in Killarney
- Allianz Football League fixtures: A complete guide to the 2023 season
- GAA fans fume at price rise as Football and Hurling League tickets go on sale
- GAA won't interfere with Kerry Club Championship structure says president Larry McCarthy
Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox.
