There was a deeply unsatisfactory conclusion to the club season at Croke Park last Sunday and the GAA has left itself open to criticism following Kilmacud’s two-point victory over Glen.
The Dublin and Leinster champions clinched the Andy Merrigan Cup at the expense of the Derry side, but they had two players on the pitch for the final passage of play.
While Paul Mannion was away from the action, Dara Mullin was among those defending a late Danny Tallon ’45 as Glen searched for a match-winning goal with Conleth McGuckian coming close in the final seconds.
The GAA has stressed that no further action will be taken unless Glen appeal the result by 3.30pm on Wednesday - a move which has been criticised by many including the Maghera club themselves.
Whatever the outcome, the GAA has found itself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons.
We look back on six other times teams from Ulster have found themselves involved in high-profile controversies.
2022 - Hawkeye is stood down
Shane Walsh, now playing his club football with the aforementioned Kilmacud, was at the centre of last summer’s Hawkeye controversy.
Galway defeated Ulster champions Derry 2-8 to 1-6 thanks to a brace from Damien Comer. However, on the cusp of half-time, Walsh had a ’45 to tie the game at 0-4 all.
The kick into the Hill 16 end looked good, but the umpires were unsure and called for Hawkeye’s intervention and it was ruled wide.
Subsequent replays showed the score was valid and referee Brendan Crawley awarded the score at half-time with Hawkeye stood down for the remainder of the contest.
It wasn’t used during the Dublin versus Kerry semi-final either pending the outcome of a review into the technology, but was restored for Kerry’s win over Galway in the All-Ireland final.
2016 - Laois use too many subs
In the 2016 Qualifiers, Laois had to replay their Round 1A tie against Armagh in Portlaoise after using too many substitutes.
Then managed by Mick Lillis, the home side recorded a 1-10 to 0-10 victory over the Orchard County, but had already used their full quota of six replacements when Shane Murphy was brought on in injury-time.
In this instance, the GAA’s Central Competition Control Committee (CCCC) ordered a replay a fortnight later.
Kieran McGeeney’s men failed to take advantage of their Championship reprieve with Laois winning the replay 1-10 to 1-10 before bowing out to Clare in the next round.
2016 - Antrim granted Royal replay
2016 was also the year of the controversial Christy Ring Cup final between Meath and Antrim with a replay also ordered in the hurling final.
Confusion reigned at the end of the game after a score-keeping error led to Meath collecting the cup for the first time in their history, despite the game actually finishing level.
The problem arose when Niall McKenna’s point in the 63rd minute was incorrectly attributed to Meath.
The replay was originally scheduled for Páirc Esler, in Newry before the CCCC bowed to pressure from Meath to bring the game to Croke Park a week later.
The Royals prevailed in the replay, beating the Saffrons 4-21 to 5-17 after extra-time.
2014 - All the Small things
Creggan Kickhams were crowned All-Ireland Club Junior Hurling champions back in 2014, but had to endure an anxious few days after their replay win over Ballysaggart.
The sides couldn’t be separated in the drawn game in Croke Park before the Kickhams won the replay in Cusack Park, Mullingar 1-11 to 1-7.
However, an investigation was launched into the eligibility of two Creggan players, namely Conor Small, who plundered 1-3 in the replay, and Donal Carey.
Both were U16 for the Antrim and Ulster campaigns and didn’t feature, but the All-Ireland series runs into a new calendar year.
Under GAA rules, county, provincial and All-Ireland competitions are linked and, therefore, deemed as one competition.
Ballysaggart’s objection to the result was dismissed as their submission was made past the 72-hour deadline and Creggan kept their title following the conclusion of a CCCC probe into the matter.
2010 - Corduff lose crown on appeal
Corduff were stripped of the 2010 Ulster Club Junior Football Championship title after it was found that one of their players was ineligible.
Second half substitute Padraic Keenan scored a vital goal within seconds of his introduction, but he was an U16 player at the time and, therefore, not permitted to play in senior adult competitions.
Cavan outfit Swanlinbar were successful in their appeal despite losing the contest 2-7 to 0-8 to their Monaghan opponents at Breffni Park and progressed to the All-Ireland series.
They reached that season’s All-Ireland final, but were beaten 3-13 to 1-5 by St Mary’s of Dublin in February 2011.
1995 - Charlie sees Red, but refuses to leave
Last Sunday’s debacle in Croke Park has stirred up memories of the infamous 1995 All-Ireland final between Dublin and Tyrone.
The Red Hands were seeking to extend Ulster’s dominance of the 90s and follow in the footsteps of Down (1991 and 1994), Donegal (1992) and Derry (1993) by lifting the Sam Maguire.
Yet, they lost the game by a single point in controversial circumstances. The game’s only goal-scorer Charlie Redmond was sent off by referee Paddy Russell midway through the second half, but remained on the field for an additional two minutes before the Tipperary official spotted he hadn’t left the field.
To add insult to injury for Tyrone, they had a perfectly legitimate equaliser from Sean McLaughlin ruled out after Peter Canavan was erroneously adjudged to have played the ball on the ground in the build up to the point.
Canavan and Tyrone would have to wait a further eight years before winning their first senior All-Ireland title.
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