Eoin Kelly: You’d have to feel sorry for Waterford, it’s time for video referees

The Tipperary legend doesn’t hold back on the controversy surrounding his county’s game with Waterford and considers their first half performances issues…

Let’s get right to it. You’d have to say Tipperary are still in the Championship because of a very poor decision by referee Alan Kelly.

If you’re talking about the goal that was ‘scored’ by Tipp, everyone knows it wasn’t a goal. The officials and the umpires got that totally wrong.

If you turn around at the end of the season and Waterford lose out through a scoring difference, it could all come down to that one wrong decision.

That could cripple their Championship.

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Take it upstairs

Of course, you’d feel aggrieved over it. Particularly in this day and age, when you have hawk-eye and everything.

You’d have to say there’s a case for a video referee. It could be someone else’s misfortune as the Championship goes on.

The last time something like this happened was in 2010 Leinster final. Louth were leading and Meath’s Joe Sheridan scored a controversial goal that was allowed.

The referee had to be escorted off the pitch by Gardaí and two lads ended up in court for attacking him.

You would feel sorry for Waterford and it kept Tipperary in the Munster Championship.

For the sake of a minute, a video referee could have made that call.

By the way, here’s me wearing my Tipperary hat: We saw pictures of Austin Gleeson pulling the helmet off Bonner Maher’s head – that’s a sending off offence.

A video official could have sorted that too.

First half woes

You can’t do what Tipperary have done their last two first halves for a third week in-a-row. If they do and manage to come back again, they are just extraordinary men.

They’ve shown character and fitness levels in abundance, so they’ve put any doubts on those fronts firmly to bed.

However, they are slow to start. It seems to take time for them to settle and find that true freedom that comes with confidence.

There just seems to be a bit of uncertainty in the defence.

Clare have the same problem coming to Thurles this weekend. If Clare had the six defenders they had in the noughties, they’d be in with a shout as All-Ireland contenders.

Complacency might have set in for the last game with Waterford because The Déise had so many injuries, but it won’t be the case this weekend because Tipp know the task in hand and what’s required of them to win against The Banner County.

It’s going to be a serious battle for Tipperary and they need everything to go their way.

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What do you think?