Tipperary forged late to salvage a well-earned draw in an entertaining affair against Waterford last weekend, but a moment of controversy involving referee James Owens has drawn a strong backlash in recent days.
The sides could not be separated with the game finishing 3-21 to 1-27, however Waterford's opening goal - which came from an early Stephen Bennett penalty - proved controversial with referee Owens appearing to inadvertently distract Tipp goalkeeper Barry Hogan.
As Bennett began to lift the puck and take his penalty, Owens sprinted across the goal mouth in an attempt to get out of the way of the shot.
Bennett buried the penalty in the bottom left corner, but you'd have to imagine the moving ref was some sort of a distraction for Hogan, who gestured in the direction of Owens immediately after the goal was scored.
GOAL! Stephen Bennett from the spot for @WaterfordGAA pic.twitter.com/XYlOLHsAWX
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 4, 2024
Former Cork goalkeeper Donal Og Cusack has already shared his belief that the referee should have taken action after his apparent error - and he is not the only one.
Shane McGrath labels James Owens error an 'absolute disgrace'
Now Tipp legend Shane McGrath has weighed in on the debate, blasting the mistake and the fact that Owens opted not to have penalty retaken.
Speaking on the RTE Sport GAA Podcast, McGrath claimed what happened was a 'joke' in what was a scathing assessment of the incident.
"The goals were a killer for Tipp," McGrath said.
"When the referee runs across in front of your goalie as one of the best ball-strikers in the country is taking a penalty, that doesn't help things either.
"That was an absolute disgrace. I am all for referees getting respect and everything but what James Owens did the other day - running across in Barry Hogan's line of sight - is (a disgrace).
"I was at an U11 camogie blitz today. If it happened in an U11 camogie blitz the referee or someone would have said 'take the penalty again'.
"We are on about a team of officials. We are on about 'give respect, get respect'. I get that right.
"That was an absolute disgrace lads."
Shane McGrath doesn't hold back on referee James Owens' penalty antics during the Tipp and Waterford draw.
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"Could someone not have said to him, the two umpires or the linesman, 'James, you are going to have to take that again... you ran across in front of the goalie.'
"Barry Hogan is a nice guy. Maybe he was too nice the other day. Maybe as a goalie he should have ran out to James Owens and said, 'you ran out in front of me there.'
"This wasn't last minute of the game to win it, but it set the tone for the game.
"I still think a draw was a fair result and both teams were evenly matched, but that was a joke there the other night lads."
The draw has left Tipp with just a point from their opening two games in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship, with Waterford on three points having beaten Cork in round one.
It is sure to prompt further discussion before Tipp turn their attentions to their meeting with the Rebel County on May 11.
