Cork are All-Ireland champions once again after securing a tense 0-14 to 0-13 victory over Kilkenny thanks to a late Orla Cotter free.
With the game in injury time, Cork won a contentious free to allow Cotter the opportunity to secure the win with a pin-perfect effort. It meant heartbreak for Kilkenny who lost last year's final in similar circumstances.
However, the Sunday Game panel highlighted two incidents were Kilkenny may have felt hard done by post-match, including a potential penalty. Ursula Jacob suggested it is 'frustrating' for a game of such tight margins to be decided in this manner while viewers were dismayed at several calls.
Speaking on RTE Radio One, Cyril Farrell called for additional training.
The Camogie Association will have to look at the referees. There were three referees today and they were all different standards. It was supposed to be the same rules; the junior, intermediate and senior finals, it was like three different games. They're going to have to look at it and train their own referees.
Of the 21 or so officials there today, there was only one female. It's a female sport. Everyone says that they're not used to female referees but that's because they've never had them. They should have them.
Will someone in Croke Park please go in and take that whistle off Eamon Cassidy 🤬🤬 #Camogie #Ref
Ruining the game!!!!!— Molly Dunne (@md_camog) September 9, 2018
Referee in the Camogie Final is terrible some shocking decisions
— Bernard Flynn (@bernardflynn15) September 9, 2018
Had no preference for a winner today but that didn’t feel right. #camogie
— Sinéad O'Carroll (@SineadOCarroll) September 9, 2018
Kilkenny manager Ann Downey says referee has to look at his own performance but it won't change the result.
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) September 9, 2018
Awful to read through tweets from players and viewers bemoanimg all the frees in the #Camogie. It's time to change the rules and listen to the players. They train too hard to put up with such fussy officiating. It's literally the opposite of what makes hurling great.
— Cormac O'Malley (@cormacpro) September 9, 2018
A scandalous 60 mins of refereeing. Absolutely horrendous @OfficialCamogie
— Eoin Larkin (@11larky) September 9, 2018
Would it be possible to apply the advantage rule more and other rules less??? 🙈🙈 #Camogie18 #StoppingandStarting
— Ann Marie (@AnnMarieGuinan) September 9, 2018
Wat is wrong with refs being the main talking point in matches. A good ref is a ref that isn't noticed in a game. All Ireland camogie final ref was a disgrace @TheSundayGame
— Tom Hughes (@tomhughes_wex) September 9, 2018
This ref has been horrendous in the camogie final. Not only not letting the game flow but some of his decisions at crucial stages has been shocking.
— Ciaran Neary (@CiaranNeary) September 9, 2018
Wouldnt let that Camogie ref near an U10 game!#HarryLambeJob
— Joe McDonnell (@joemc23) September 9, 2018
I’m actually on verge of turning off this camogie final purely cause of ref
— Ian Power💣 (@bombspower) September 9, 2018
The camogie final couldn’t be tighter but the ref is ruining the spectacle with the amount of times he is using his whistle. #CORVKIL
— Marisa Kennedy (@MarisaK96) September 9, 2018
While both sides conservative approach contributed to a restricted game, it was not aided by its stop-start nature. As Ursula Jacob outlined post-match, Kilkenny will also be disappointed with elements of their own approach, particularly up front.
The result means this extraordinary Cork side have now secured four All-Ireland titles in five years.
