Galway and Dublin played out a heated draw today in Salthill as both sides looked to lay down a marker before the league final. The final score was 0-13 to 0-13, but it is the officiating in the closing exchanges as the All-Ireland champions tried to see out the game that has faced growing criticism.
Despite being behind by five points at half-time, Dublin fired back to lead going into the closing exchanges with Ciaran Kilkenny starring as he landed five points for Jim Gavin's side. A late rally saw the Dubs kick four-in-a-row before Eoghan O'Gara was sent off for an off-the-ball incident.
Immediately after Cormac Costello kicked a free in extra-time to give Dublin the lead, several melees broke out all over the field. Johnny Heaney did manage to later score a last-minute score to snatch the draw. However, speaking on RTE Sport, commentary former Galway footballer Padraic Joyce questioned the manner in which Dublin tried to see out the game.
Dublin did this in the football final last year against Mayo. Galway had the ball and they dived in, blocked off all the players and creating a melee. It's a bit of cuteness. Philly McMahon jumped ten yards from the ground to the top of melee, two feeted so he'll probably get the red for this. Just slowing the game down...
Ciaran Kilkenny has rugby tackled Damien Comer off the ball. Obviously, he knows Comer is Galway's only chance of getting a score. Right in front of the linesman and it is the second time he has done it in the space of two seconds. It should be a black card but look at, it is farcical officiating.
After the game, Joyce stressed that it was how this issue was governed that he had a problem with.
The Dublin players here are coming off the pitch, a few of them arguing with the crowd, Joe McQuillan is getting a garda escort here. The referee let a lot of the game develop that he shouldn't have. The linesman officiating, (it was) a lot of off the ball stuff.
The game provoked a huge amount of debate online.
Listening to Padraic Joyce on radio describing the cynical scenes in the final minutes of that Galway/Dublin game is depressing.
— John Greene (@johnjgreene) March 18, 2018
Great to hear PADRAIG Joyce unbiased commentary on Galway v Dublin. Most of the Dublin team should have got cards like confetti......per PADRAIG.
Come on #RTEgaa surely there’s someone neutral on your books to cover the game?— Michael Ryan (@mryan280970) March 18, 2018
Can the panel on #AllianzLeague please highlight Dublin players holding off the ball and cynical attempts to close out a game today?! Huge sense of entitlement! @RTEgaa #gaa
— 🎅Beerán Swilligan🎄 (@CiGilly) March 18, 2018
Watch it! Galway were 3 points up and didn't knock Fenton and hold him on the ground in front of the linesman. Dublin 1 up and took comer out for the remainder of the game
— 🎅Beerán Swilligan🎄 (@CiGilly) March 18, 2018
Both sides were at it and our lads need to know when to walk away and ignore it. It was all handbags. I thought Galway were a better team when they just concentrated on playing football.
— Eamonn (@dubscouse) March 18, 2018
The local commentary of Galway Bay FM were similarly frustrated.
It is systematic. They have certain players in certain pockets. That is not to say the likes of Dean Rock wouldn't get involved or a corner forward. But they literally pull the defender down to the ground and sit on them. What is a referee to do? Does he produce ten black cards?
To try and legislate to do it is very difficult. We are now talking about the Dubs but the Dubs are always in the lead in the final minutes, I'm sure other counties would do the same thing if the opportunity arises. It is a problem for the GAA. It is very very nasty and the players are clever. It's hard for the officials to adjudicate. I don't know where to go, it's just very nasty.
Both Joyce and the local commentary are, of course, leaning towards their own county but their grievance appeared to be with the officiating rather than either team. With the pair both already qualified for a league final, today's clash ensures that game is set to be a full-throttle affair.
