The unsavoury scenes witnessed at the end of the Clare v Waterford clash needs to be stamped out or the GAA will be forced to intervene, says Dónal Óg Cusack.
The awarding of a '65 to Clare deep into stoppage-time, which allowed Mark Rodgers the opportunity to hand the Banner a last-gap victory in Ennis, was hotly contested by Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald.
After the full-time whistle he was seen remonstrating with referee Liam Gordon, while a member of the Clare backroom team shoved Fitzgerald as tensions appeared to boil over.
Speaking after the match, Fitzgerald said be believed the decision by the umpire to award to ’65 as Waterford pair Mark Fitzgerald and Tadhg de Burca jostled with Clare’s Peter Duggan for possession on the endline was simply "guess work".
Tensions run high at the finish in Ennis - Clare squeeze home courtesy of a late contested 65
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 19, 2024
📺 Watch it here - https://t.co/WMGbng7nJR
📱 Or follow it here - https://t.co/mSprCDje76 pic.twitter.com/nVSBklk885
Replays indicated the official came to the right decision with the ball appearing to take the final touch off de Burca's hurley, and speaking on The Sunday Game, Óg Cusack said people need to take responsibility for their action after the game or risk bigger implications down the line.
"We’ve criticised the officials a lot over the last while, but even in slow motion, it’s hard to see who the ball went off," he said.
"We’ve watched it a good number of times. We’ve been critical of umpires in the past, but in a high-pressure situation, with a lot riding on that decision, fair play to the umpire, he got it 100% right.
"It’s disappointing (the scenes post-match). Davy must take responsibility for it, Clare management must take responsibility for it.
"The danger for the GAA, if this kind of stuff keeps on going, will be forced to act. There is probably pressure in terms of insurance. That type of childish, immature behaviour will ruin it for everyone."
Former Antrim hurler Neil McManus said that rounding on the referee with supporters spilling onto the pitch is not a good look for the association.
"That really doesn’t help things and it fires people up," he said. "A Clare selector comes across and pushes Davy. We don’t want to see these scenes because we love the fact that fans can get on to the pitch at the end of the game.
"There is a better way to challenge these things and that is not the time, everybody is full of adrenaline. Davy feels aggrieved that the ’65 wasn’t hit from behind the line, or on the line, that’s a fair argument to make, but there is a real safety issue here."
