GAA fans were divided as Paudie Clifford hit out at the referee over his sending off in Sunday's All-Ireland Junior Football Club Championship final.
Clifford captained Fossa to victory over Stewartstown at Croke Park, but it was acceptance speech that had everyone talking after the final whistle.
Paudie and his Footballer of the Year brother David were both shown red as a total of six players were sent off by referee Thomas Murphy as the final descended into a farce at the end.
Four Stewartstown players saw red in all with full-back Darren Devlin getting the line first for an off-the-ball clash with Emmett O’Shea early in the second half. Fossa's Cian O’Shea was shown a black card in the closing 10 minutes before tempers spilled over late on.
The Harps lost Gareth Devlin to a second yellow with David Clifford also picking up a second booking while Kyran Robinson and Anton Coyle were shown straight reds with Paudie Clifford also sent off on a straight red.
Despite the late shenanigans, Fossa held on for a deserved win with Paudie accepting the cup before launching into a remarkable acceptance speech.
After praising the collective efforts of the Fossa team, Clifford stated: “To the referee and his officials, obviously it was a tough game to ref there at the end.
“A good job, other than at the end when I was wrongly sent off. It was unbelievable how I was sent off, but a great job all around.”
Clifford also addressed the defeated Stewartstown men, adding: “To Stewartstown - an unbelievably hard running team, we were seriously up against it there.
“I know there was the bit at the end, but you are a great team and fair play to you.
“I’m sure you will give the Intermediate in Tyrone a run next year.”
Plenty of people took to social media to have their say on the controversial speech.
One wrote: "Great speech after the game by Paudie Clifford..lol..."
Another said: "Embarrassing speech from Paudie Clifford. Rightly received a red. Doesn't matter what went on before."
Someone else added: "Paudie Clifford with the worst/best winning speech ever."
One other post read: "Paudie Clifford’s speech was horrible."
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