Tullamore's narrow defeat marred by unruly post-match scenes

Tullamore were knocked out of the Leinster club SFC by Summerhill at Glenisk O'Connor Park today - but their narrow defeat was totally overshadowed by unruly scenes afterwards in which the referee appeared to be pushed to the ground.

There was plenty of controversy and contentious decisions over the course of the match, and Tullamore frustrations focused on a decision to cancel the apparent awarding of a late penalty.

With Meath champions Summerhill leading by 1-9 to 1-7 in stoppage time, Tullamore were seeking a last-gasp goal to turn the game on its head. After Tullamore launched a late attack, referee Barry Tiernan initially appeared to award a 13-metre free because of a Summerhill defender handling the ball on the ground.

Following consultation with one his umpires, the referee appeared to change his decision to a penalty and experienced Tullamore defender Paul McConway moved forward to take it. But further consultations between the referee and one of his officials saw the original decision of a free-in reinstated, much to the chagrin of the Tullamore camp.

The free was eventually blasted goalwards by John Furlong but it was blocked by the pack of Summerhill defenders and the Meath men hung on for a two-point victory (1-9 to 1-7), to set up a Leinster quarter-final against Kildare champions Naas.

On his way off the pitch, the referee appeared to be felled by a push before getting back to his feet. There were further protests involving irate fans before Tiernan made his way off the field.

Speaking to Midlands 103 after the match, Tullamore manager Niall Stack expressed his frustration at his team being awarded a penalty that they never got the chance to take. However, Stack did not wish to speak about the mayhem which erupted after the final whistle.

Tullamore have endured some cruel luck in the Leinster championship over recent years and in a sense this game was another chapter in that story, albeit the scenes afterwards put this dramatic encounter in a different category.

In a game where Tullamore struggled with their freetaking, they led by two points (1-5 to 0-6) at half-time, with Declan Hogan scoring the goal for the Offaly champions.

Summerhill didn't get their noses in front until the 57th minute when a shot from Barry Dardis deflected off Tullamore goalkeeper Corey White, before hitting Summerhill's Kevin Ryan and ended up in the net. This somewhat fortuitous goal put the visitors 1-8 to 1-7 in front and a pointed free by Eoghan Frayne extended the lead. There was still plenty of drama and discord to come, however.

The possible repercussions from the post-match scenes will become clearer after the referee submits his report.

Scorers - Summerhill: E Frayne 0-4 (4 frees); K Ryan 1-0; B Dardis 0-2 (2f); C Frayne, D McCabe, J O'Shea 0-1 each. Tullamore: D Hogan 1-1; N Bracken 0-2 (2f); D Egan, Cormac Egan, H Plunkett, M Brazil (f) 0-1 each.

Summerhill: Sean Muddiman; Iarla Hughes, Ronan Ryan, John Lavelle; Jamie O'Shea, Ross Ryan, Padhraig Geraghty; Adam Flanagan, Micheal Byrne; David Larkin, Eoghan Frayne, Diarmuid McCabe; Conor Lyons, Conor Frayne, Barry Dardis. Subs used: Padraig Jennings for O'Shea (44 mins), Kevin Ryan for McCabe (47), Davy Dalton for Lyons (51), Eamonn McDonnell for C Frayne (55).

Tullamore: Corey White; Declan Hogan, Paul McConway, Daire McDaid; Nigel Bracken, John Furlong, Oisin Keenan-Martin; Aaron Hensey, Ciaran Egan; Michael Brazil, Diarmuid Egan, Luke Egan; Harry Plunkett, Luke Plunkett, Cormac Egan. Subs used: Dan Fox for L Plunkett (half-time), Mike Fox for Ciaran Egan (42 mins), Niall Furlong for H Plunkett (47), Jay Sheeran for Hensey (63), Luke Plunkett for Keenan-Martin (63).

Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).