BRIAN CODY MAY have had plenty to say about Barry Kelly’s refereeing performance in last year’s drawn All-Ireland final after the Cats had beaten Tipperary in the replay.
But the Cats boss was in no mood to revisit his ‘criminal’ comment when quizzed by reporters at a Nowlan Park press briefing yesterday.
Cody escaped censure from Croke Park after he slammed Kelly’s decision to award Tipp a late free in an epic Croke Park decider last September.
John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer shot narrowly wide to ensure that the match finished level but Cody held his counsel until after the replay win to unload both barrels on the Westmeath official.
Cody said at the time: “They (Tipperary) were handed an opportunity which was a completely wrong decision. We didn’t speak about it the last day but it was criminal.”
Cody was warned by Croke Park chiefs as to his future conduct in media interviews and swatted away any discussion on the episode yesterday, at a press event to promote Kilkenny’s renewal of their annual sponsorship partnership with Glanbia.
When asked for his reaction to the warning from GAA HQ, Cody replied tersely: “I’m not even interested in discussing it.”
Another reporter asked Cody how he would react when, and if, Kelly ever handles another big championship game involving the Noresiders.
He replied: “My last answer should suggest that there wouldn’t even be any more questions because I wouldn’t be interested in discussing it.”
Ouch!
Originally published at 0600
The only reason they won the six nations last year is because Scotland and ourselves played the majority of the game with 14 or less men and they were awarded the most dubious of tries against England with the water carriers and medical staff still on the pitch.
@Peter Dunne: Definitely got a good bit more than a slice of luck, but at the same time you make your own too at times and can only play whats infront of you. Players like LRZ, L.Williams, J Tips, AWJ, Wyn Jones, Faletau, Navidi etc were incredible through out for them.
Wales we’re poor really. Fiji we’re unlucky, played well. Rees-Zammit’s try should not have been given, he was clearly not in control of the ball on (attempted) touchdown.
@Teddy O’Brien: In fairness as Berry said, all they look for is separation with the ball and there was none. I partly agree with you tho as the ball rolled up from his palm to wrist, but that’s still contact I guess… Still he probably deserved it for the effort alone. The speed he has is freakishly good.
@Teddy O’Brien: The 2000s called, they want their laws back. There doesn’t need to be control.
@Ultan Corcoran: baloucane faster?
Hopefully the new Super Rugby team can help Fiji progress. The talent is there for them to be a real powerhouse, just need funding to build a genuine international set up!
@TheCraftyCulchie: 5 teams – Us, Scotland, France, Argentina and Fiji have had a man red carded against Wales in the last 9 months
@Jonny Walls: Could it be a tactic? To orchestrate situations where an opposition player has a high risk of fouling. Theoretically, it could be easy enough to do.
@SomeGuy: that would be handy! Hard to do I’d say!
Sau is clearly a bit of an id iot, has a recent history of nasty tackles. Tried to take the head off Connacht’s Niall Murray with a late hit in Touch last season at the Sportsground which unbelievably didn’t even get a yellow card…
https://twitter.com/RonanB/status/1371104555405094913?t=xQVRjAV_64IB7bRwVkdLiw&s=19
Ehhh …….. did wales play a large part of that game against 13? You’d expect them to win. Unlucky fiji but discipline is an issue