By Eoghan Cormican
The Cork County Board executive this morning confirmed they issued a note of clarification to referee Pádraig Hughes for suggesting the Armagh official cost them an All-Ireland semi-final berth.
Pádraig Hughes awarded Kerry a controversial second-half penalty in the drawn Munster SFC final.
The note was issued to the referees committee in Croke Park and passed on to the Armagh whistler last week.
“It was unfortunate that part of the statement issued in support of the retired manager Brian Cuthbert was interpreted as criticism of the referee,” said Cork PRO Edmond Forrest. “That was never our intention.”
Hughes took charge of the drawn Cork-Kerry Munster football final in which he awarded the Kingdom a controversial second-half penalty for a Mark Collins challenge on James O’Donoghue.
In a statement issued by the Cork executive on Monday, August 3, one month after the game, top-brass claimed “It is quite probable that but for a totally wrong refereeing decision in that game, Cork would now be in an All-Ireland semi-final”.
H/T: Irish Independent.