'I would question the decisions from the man in the middle' Sullivan on disappointing Dubs defeat

“It’s actually hard (to sum up) because we played really very well for a lot of patches of that game and we defended really well. Conditions were hard on both sides, so it was a game of two halves. Against the wind we played really well, some of the turning points in the game was that we hit the crossbar once and the upright another and then they went down and scored,” the words of Kildare boss Pat Sullivan after his side’s defeat to Dublin.

“We had enough chances, we left here with three or four goal chances and that was the difference. They took the two goal chances they got after the two we missed and the power swung back to them in that scenario. Overall, where we are coming from and how we are trying to develop as a group, I’d be very happy going home with what we have done today, but disappointed of letting the opportunity go begging.”

The concession of a soft goal was perhaps the only mark against Kildare in a commanding first half with the wind at their backs but it certainly proved costly as The Dubs capitalised on one of their rare attacking moments in the opening half an hour. The next frustration for The Lilies in the first half was Ruth Sargent not being awarded a penalty after she burst through on goal and was sent to the floor by two blue shirts.

READ NEXT: Penalty drama and wild winds as Kildare fall to Dublin in Division 1

Sullivan said, “There were a few decisions in there (the first half) as well. I thought Ruth going through was a penalty all out and Aoife Murnane was pulled back for a ball we stuck in the net for overcarrying. Some of the decisions today were tough on us…and I would question the decisions from the man in the middle.”

After valid criticism of some harsh decisions, the Kildare boss kept his powder dry in regards to the near farcical conditions in which this game was played in Balbriggan. O’Dwyers GAA have fine facilities at their disposal but a pitch by the sea with no stand, trees or anything else that might give this game some hope of looking like a traditional Gaelic football fixture made this venue choice borderline ridiculous, especially in mid-to-late February. Kildare and Dublin are far from the first side’s to suffer such a fate with Salthill famous for its ‘six-point breeze’, but this venue did not check the boxes for a Division 1 inter- county game.

The Lilies face Meath at home next time out with a win imperative after three losses on the spin in Division 1.