Frustrated Naas boss lashes out at referee after extra time exit in Leinster SHC

Needless to say it was an extremely disappointed, and indeed frustrated Naas manager Mark Dowling we spoke to after such a titanic battle that went right down to the wire after extra time as Naas lost out to Kilcormac–Killoughey by a single point.

Never easy in such circumstances but in fairness the Kilkenny native spoke to the local press and certainly did not mince his words.

Admitting that he was struggling for words, the manager in this his first season at the help at Naas said he felt his team were in it throughout the entire game.

“I felt we were in a good position and even when we got probably knocked back, for example their goal, obviously we hit back with our own goal, I felt we responded to any set-back we got.”

The manager added that “I don’t think in ten years I have ever called out some poor refereeing decisions, and while we can all feel hard done by here and there I think we all do our best but the free count was ridiculous against us and the last free, if I am honest, it happened rightly in front of me, I thought it was very dubious.”

Asked if he felt that decision was overall consistent with his performance the manager replied “I thought it was a poor performance, thirty players go out, some play poorly, some play well and all do their best; management go out make decisions, some are good, some are bad we all perform badly or well but I thought this was a very poor performance and I have never ever said that after any game.”

The manager was high in his praise for Kilcormac “I thought they were fantastic, they went down to fourteen men, they dug in and they showed all their experience and their class, look Kilcormac bet us, no one else bet us, they hung in when they had no right to if I am being honest and I give them huge credit and respect for it.”

The manager, obviously hurting, added “these matches are tough to win, you are playing the best and you take your learnings from it but I just felt that Thomas (referee) did not have his best game.”

On the extra man they had and did they execute that well he said “look you are always going to second guess that if you lose, the winner always dictates the narrative, if you win you tell me we really did well with the extra man, ultimately you have a choice, do you put in extra protection or push the extra man up; but we weren’t chasing anything, predominantly we were defending something so I felt we had Conan Boran as an extra man sweeping at the back and I thought he did a fine job and I think, I think our extra man was fine and we utilised it well and if we won it would be a different story.

Asked about the use of his bench and the face he used only seventeen players he said “you are always looking for a bit of squad depth but the two lads we brought in are good players, finding their feet at this level, Oisin (O’Neill) is only 18, did his Leaving Cert this year, a big ask coming in in a very physical game, I thought the two lads did brilliantly but Cian Boran and Charlie Sheridan (both re-introduced after being substituted) are experience players and we felt maybe that was what we needed in the dying minutes, experienced players.”

This is all about the players, not me, said the manager “many teams lost county finals, some early in their championships, we lost today but that is sport, a winner and a loser, unfortunately we came out the wrong side but you dust yourself down and go again, it is hard, very hard but that is the nature of sport.

“these lads are very resilient, a tough crew, mentally tough and I have no doubt they will bounce back but I felt they equipped themselves brilliantly today, we weren’t fancied, Kilcormack were favourites and rightly so, but I felt our lads represented the club and the county fantastically well today.”