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Rathdowney-Errill manager John Delaney has hit out at the refereeing decision that saw only yellow cards handed out following an incident in the first half of Sunday’s Laois SHC final that saw Ross King forced off with a serious facial injury.
King went off injured after 25 minutes with referee John O’Brien opting to give yellow cards to Camross players Darrell Dooley and Niall Holmes.
At the time Rathdowney-Errill led 0-8 to 0-5 but lost King to injury following that skirmish while midfielder Shane Dollard was forced off with a groin problem at the same time.
“To be honest, I’m devastated,” said John Delaney outside a deathly quiet dressing room after the game. “County finals are just for winning.”
Addressing the controversy after the game, Delaney said it was “absolute disgrace what happened today – if that’s allowed to happen in Laois hurling, I thought those days were over”.
“I’m not going to go too much into it because I’m afraid what I’d say,” he added. “That shouldn’t be allowed to happen.
“It turned the game. In fairness Camross got a few good scores in the second half against the wind and fair play to them.”
Delaney said he spoke to the referee about the incident.
“He told me he didn’t see it. But if he didn’t see it why did give a yellow card? The linesman saw it and told him but he said he didn’t see it.
“(But we) can’t make excuses all about the one thing. Camross stood up like champions in the second half and won the game.”
“We had chances,” added Delaney. “It’s a very hard one to take but that’s how hurling goes.”
Camross club officials visited the Rathdowney-Errill dressing room after the game where they spoke briefly. There was no round of applause as would usually happen.
Rathdowney club chairman Justin Kavanagh said that King was being brought to hospital in Dublin from Portlaoise after having two teeth knocked out.
”We wish him a speedy recovery. Ross is a lad who goes to play with Laois and it’s not nice to see an injury of that nature happen.”
SEE ALSO – Talking Points and photos from a hectic championship final Sunday
