Limerick midfielder Darragh O’Donovan didn’t pull any punches when insisting that “players should probably be put first” after their All-Ireland SHC semi-final victory over Limerick was delayed by 30 minutes due to major delays on the M7 in Kildare.
The Treaty overcame an unusually slow start to eventually best the Déise by 11 points, 1-25 to 0-17, but the 30-minute delay to throw-in was not to O’Donovan’s liking as plans had to be quickly changed for a 5.30pm start.
A lorry carrying bales of straw is believed to have struck a flyover bridge with bales scattered all over the M7 and tailbacks extending up to 10 kilometres as supporters heading to Croke Park got caught in the crossfire.
Neither team were affected by the GAA’s decision to delay the game as they were both already safely at the Jones’ Road venue, but O’Donovan was not happy with the decision.
“I think the 30-minute delay probably affected both teams. Players should probably be put first in that instance,” the Doon cliubman said after the Treaty steered one step closer to the first back-to-back All-Ireland SHC titles in their history.
“Four points to three in an All-Ireland semi-final after 18 minutes, it probably affected both teams and it’s very unfair. It’s just as unfair on Waterford as it was for us.”
Meanwhile, Liam Cahill has refused to blame Waterfords frenetic schedule for their demise to holders Limerick in tonights All-Ireland SHC semi-final but he admitted that playing on four consecutive weekends had been tough going.
The Deise had already beaten Laois, Galway and Tipperary on successive Saturdays, but they had no answer to the champions latest power play at Croke Park.
You could argue that falling to Clare at the first provincial fence had eventually come back to haunt Waterford, but their manager was making no excuses.
We knew the fixtures at the start of the year, to be fair, Cahill reflected. Once we exited the Munster championship to a Clare side who were deserved winners on the day, we knew the route we had to go. Cork will have more or less the same path to reach an All-Ireland.
Times that were in it with Covid, we were lucky to have a championship. It might have been structured a little bit better from semi-final to final, but that was the window of opportunity there and the GAA did the best they could.
What could we do? Thats what was laid out for us. Four weeks in a row is tough going. Having said that, we just have to soak it up.
The Tipp native paid warm tribute to the defending champions.
Overall, just a powerful display from Limerick, he remarked. Really physically commanding again. Real good awareness of what they bring as a team, where every player needs to be. Executed their usual game-plan of holding possession and being able to find the right man at the right time.
Our boys battled hard. After the first water break, we seemed to empty a little bit and give Limerick a foothold at that stage. They kept the scoreboard ticking over and Limerick were five, six up before we knew it and youre chasing the match at that stage.
Waterford had battled back to within six points when Aaron Gillane struck the only goal in the 55th minute.
It definitely took the life out of us, Cahill conceded. The match back to six points, a bit of momentum going, a bit of pep in our step, especially up front where our forwards were saying, Maybe theres a half a chance here. Then the back of the net rattles down your end and its definitely a blow to everybody, just right on the whistle of the water break. But, look, thats what good teams do to you. Limerick are all of that – a really good team.
He added: We were going to need a lucky break of a goal chance to rightly put the cat amongst the pigeons.
When you meet a team of Limericks calibre, you have to be taking everything on offer. We had five or six wides early on and everything needs to go over.
I havent seen the stats, but I think Waterford created at least three or four goal chances in the second half alone. We just didnt take on the ball where it needed to be to test a goalkeeper of the calibre of Nickie Quaid.
Thats hurling, thats life. You take your chances and, if you dont, you pay the price.
No more than he didnt blame Waterfords hectic schedule, Cahill wasnt inclined to cite the 30-minute throw-in delay caused by traffic chaos on the M7 Motorway.
Ah no we were fine. We had no issues that way at all, he demurred. We would probably have liked to have it (the decision) conveyed to us a bit sooner, thats all. But it had no effect whatsoever in that regard.