Dublin legend Diarmuid Connolly blasts GAA over Club final chaos

Dublin football legend Diarmuid Connolly has blasted GAA officials over the Club final chaos on Sunday that saw Kilmacud Crokes field 16 men towards the end of the match.

Kilmacud Crokes won their first All-Ireland Club title in 14 years on Sunday after defeating Derry side Watty Graham's Glen in the final. But footage emerged afterwards showing 16 Kilmacud men on the pitch as they succesfully defended a late Glen 45.

Glen have launched an official objection to the result but Connolly believes that decision should have been made for them,

READ MORE: CCCC may not deliberate on Kilmacud-Glen controversy until next week

"There’s been a lot of messing about and the GAA should have stepped in and taken it out of the teams’ hands. They should have made a stance one way or the other and I think they’ve been poor in not coming out and making the decision for themselves. It shouldn’t be for Glen to appeal. It’s been trial by media the last few days because Malachy O’Rourke said afterwards they’d accept the result, now that has changed."

"I was at the game and you could see the Kilmacud managers gesture for players to get off the field, but one of them was literally on the goal line defending and that is obviously a huge thing. I wouldn’t be happy if I was a Glen player, but equally I wouldn’t be happy if I was in the Kilmacud Crokes team because this issue should have been put to bed by an official not allowing a player onto the pitch before one has left."

(BBC Sport)

“It should be like soccer – you shouldn’t end up with 16 players on the pitch no matter what the scenario. That’s up to the officials on the sideline to dictate. The GAA should be stronger on that.”

The saga rumbles on with a decision on whether the game be replayed currently in the hands of the GAA's Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC).

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