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Wexford manager Keith Rossiter incensed over controversial Dublin goal

Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning dives to stop a penalty taken by Sean Currie
Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning dives to stop a penalty taken by Sean Currie

Wexford manager Keith Rossiter made his frustration clear about the controversial awarding of a goal to Dublin in his side's Leinster SHC defeat at Parnell Park on Saturday.

Fifty minutes into the match at Parnell Park, Dublin's Sean Currie took a penalty which appeared to have been saved by Wexford goalkeeper Mark Fanning.

The sliotar squirted behind the goalkeeper, who stopped it right on the goalline - as replays indicated - before coming away with the ball.

However, the umpires raised the green flag to award a goal to Dublin, who had been trailing by three before that incident.

Wexford went on to lose 3-26 to 4-19 and speaking to RTÉ Sport at full-time, Rossiter made reference to the awarding of the goal.

"We made a lot of mistakes that we got caught for in the end. I'm bitterly disappointed. I think we had the capabilities of winning it," he said.

"Fair play to Dublin, they got over the line. When you say get over the line, I think we'll have a look back at that penalty as well, getting over the line - just some stuff like that I can't get my head around.

"I have seen (the incident). It's circulating around the dressing room now. We were three points up at that stage.

"My notion of the rules is that the ball has to cross the line. Both umpires said to Mark Fanning after that the ball didn't cross the line but yet a ref can call it.

"I could see it where I was on the sideline. The sideline linesman couldn't really see it but still he could call it.

"Do we not talk to umpires at this stage? We can talk about it now when everyone will see it on their own screens at home.

Keith Rossiter's frustration was evident

"I'm bitterly disappointed for our lads. Not saying we would have won it from there anyway but we were three up in Parnell Park, penalty save, big momentum swinger.

"We went last year, we played Kilkenny in the last game in Nowlan Park, TJ Reid got pulled out four or five yards outside the box and it was given a penalty by the ref that day.

"They were three up at that stage, it went to six after scoring the penalty. We got an apology after a day or two from the referees to say they got it wrong but as I said at that time, that cost us a Leinster final position.

"We mightn't have won it maybe but I wouldn't be happy with this at all. Not to consult with his umpires, to tell them to put up the flag, not good enough at this level.

"If everyone sees the same video I saw, they'll see that the ball didn't cross the line."

Rossiter added that he had spoken briefly to referee Michael Kennedy after that match.

"I spoke to Michael coming across the field. I'll always shake his hand," he said.

"But I just said to him, 'You'll look back on this. We don't need sorries'. Like, I said, I don't know if we were going to win it or not but for my players inside, they're devastated.

"We need to pick ourselves up for two weeks, we're going to Salthill. But it's not good enough at this level and I say it again, he has enough officials on the pitch to consult with before he makes the decision. That's a massive momentum swinger that is and I'm not happy with it."

Niall Ó Ceallacháin is happy with his Dublin side's output

In contrast, Dublin manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin was delighted to make it two wins from two at the start of the provincial round-robin.

"Really pleased, we very much wanted to get to this day today, with our first two games in seven days. We very much wanted to get to four points and what we call a platform now to move ahead," he said.

"It's early days but we have a four-point platform and I suppose I'm just really, really pleased to be on four points and looking forward to heading to Antrim in two weeks' time."

Particularly pleasing for Ó Ceallacháin was the resilience he has seen from his side, including in the first 35 minutes on Saturday.

"I thought we were hurling well in the first half to be honest for a lot of periods," he said.

"The two (Wexford) goals were sucker blows, we were on top for a lot of it. I thought we responded really well.

"Like that first goal, I couldn't tell you straight off, but we definitely got the next three if not four or five (scores) straight after it.

"Same last week. Every time that these lads get knocked - and they get knocked a hell of a lot - they come back every time and I'm really proud of that."


Watch a Munster Hurling Championship double-header, Waterford v Clare and Cork v Tipperary, on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1


Watch The Sunday Game from 9.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on all matches on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to updates from around the country on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

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