Share
18th May 2024
11:23am BST
Tipperary were a no-show but on and off the field on Sunday, as they exited the Munster hurling championship at the hands of Cork. The Rebels toyed with the Premier in a drab second half, eventually winning by 18 points on a day when Tipperary supporters were heavily outnumbered in their home ground.
Donal Óg Cusack laid it out for the team and their fans on The Sunday Game and damningly, said that the referee Thomas Walsh gave them a 'sympathy vote' by ruling out a late Patrick Horgan goal for a square ball.
"Tipperary were shocking. They were blown away. If it was a boxing match, the towel would have been thrown in with 25-30 minutes to go.
"And you'd have to wonder - is the fight gone out of Tipp?
"Even their supporters. Where were all their supporters today? Tipp's a hurling county. Cork outnumbered them, it looked like 10 to 1."
"The referee gave a free out against Patrick Horgan today, it was actually a sympathy vote from the referee. There was nothing wrong with the goal."
Having had no match on terrestrial television in three weeks, Leinster hurling fans aren't happy with the amount of coverage their championship is being given.
Galway-Kilkenny on April 28 was the last Leinster SHC match to be shown live on RTÉ. In the intervening weeks, all the big games such as Wexford-Galway, Dublin-Kilkenny have been on GAAGO only.
To compound matters, only ten seconds of Wexford's win over Carlow was shown on last night's Sunday Game. Less than one minute of highlights of Leinster hurling was shown on The Sunday Game in total, though Dublin-Kilkenny had been shown on The Saturday Game.
Leinster hurling fans made their feelings known in the replies to the below clip.
"Only 16 SECONDS of footage of the Leinster Champ shown," wrote one user.
"Coming down to knife edge decider weekend, and this is the summation of your take on the games Are yee having a laugh, or are yee even bothered at all in trying to promote the game outside of Munster? What an absolute joke
Final day fixtures (all next Sunday at 2.00)
Galway v Dublin, Pearse Stadium
Kilkenny v Wexford, Nowlan Park
Antrim v Carlow, Corrigan Park
Leinster table
Today's results
Clare 4-21 Waterford 2-26
Cork 4-30 Tipperary 1-21
Final day fixtures
Tipperary v Clare, Semple Stadium
Waterford v Limerick, Gaelic Grounds
Munster table
Limerick, Cork and Clare now look the most likely progress though with a certain run of results, Limerick could be out. If Limerick lose to Waterford and Clare beat Tipperary on the final day, then Limerick will be out on head-to-head vs Cork.
If Limerick beat Waterford, then Waterford will be out, with Cork, Clare and Limerick going through. But if Limerick and Waterford draw, then Cork will be out on head-to-head with Waterford.
Clare 4-21 Waterford 2-26
Clare have beaten Waterford after a frantic finale in Cusack Park.
Shane Bennett had levelled the game up with a late penalty but Mark Rodgers won the game with the last puck of the game, from a 65.
There was drama after the final whistle as the Waterford players and management fumed over their loss, with Davy Fitzgerald confronting referee Liam Gordon and his team of officials.
A member of the Clare backroom team then pushed Fitzgerald as tensions boiled over in Ennis.
Joe Canning suggested on The Sunday Game that Mark Rodgers taking the 65 from the wrong spot was the reason for their ire at the final whistle. The officials had made the right call in awarding the 65, as the ball had gone out off Tadhg De Búrca's hurl.
"It was the way he placed the ball in front of the 65-yard line," explained Canning.
"I don't know if it's actually a rule or not, but normally when you're taking a 65', you have to place the ball behind the 65'.
"It's the same thing that you have to strike the penalty before the 21-yard line and stuff like that. You can carry it over the 65-yard line if you place it behind.
"The linesman was right beside it, I think Waterford were going a bit mad with it as well. You could see before that that they were saying it to the fourth official and other linesman.
"It doesn't (give an advantage), it's only two yards. But it's a finicky rule."
"He was still going to score it, but I'd say that's what Waterford were giving out about."
Davy Fitzgerald made the comment in the Clare Champion during the week that 'in a perfect world,' he'd 'manage Clare forever.' This was picked up on by the National Media but Fitzgerald doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
"I find it very funny to believe that comment would be taken, sure didn't I play for Clare for twenty years nearly and manage another five and I'm living here all my life.
"I think that's kind of stupid that would someone would pick up on that to tell you the truth but like, that's where I'm from. I'm against Clare today and all I can do is my very best for Waterford to perform today and all I have, I'll be giving it to them."
Damien Comer had to come off injured after he was stamped on by a Derry player during Galway's 2-14 to 0-15 win over Derry.
Gareth McKinless was sent off for the incident on 20 minutes and while Comer played on initially, he was forced off twelve minutes into the second half of the game. Padraic Joyce was speaking to RTÉ sport when he bemoaned the incident.
"It's very hard to comprehend that a man would deliberately go out and try to hurt a fella," Joyce said.
"I'm just sickened that that has happened to Damien. But look, nothing we can do about it.
"Punishment will come for that, no doubt.
Joyce says Comer's injury is a big concern going forward for Galway.
"Damien is the big concern.
"He thought it was okay but came off at the end. It doesn't look good but we'll see."
And you can follow it live in our hub above. Just click on the key point you want to read about or keep scrolling for every update. Please allow a moment for the hub to load.
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championships begin, as does the Tailteann Cup. Meanwhile, we reach the business end of the provincial hurling championships.
For full fixture details, please see below.
All-Ireland SFC Round 1
Leinster SHC Round 4
Joe McDonagh Cup Round 4
Munster SHC Round 4
Leinster SHC Round 4
Joe McDonagh Cup Round 4
Explore more on these topics:
