The 2022 All-Ireland champions launched an unsuccessful appeal to the Disputes Resolution Authority on Saturday morning, seeking to have Paul Faloon’s appointment overturned at the eleventh hour.
However, unforeseen circumstances forced the county board to find an alternative referee for the match, despite their initial support for Faloon.
Originally, David Gough of Meath was chosen to officiate the game, but he withdrew at the last minute, leading to the appointment of local referee Brian Higgins.
Despite winning the match by nine points, Kilcoo, the defending champions, have faced severe criticism from their county board.
In response to the controversy, Down GAA issued a strong statement expressing their disappointment and defending their initial decision to appoint Paul Faloon as the referee.
According to the statement, an appeal was made by Kilcoo club, alleging bias, but it was rejected. Kilcoo then appealed to the highest resolution body of the GAA, but their claim was also rejected. The county board firmly supported Faloon’s appointment throughout the process.
However, due to subsequent complications, an alternative referee had to be appointed, and Brian Higgins stepped in to officiate the game. Down GAA emphasized the importance of respecting match officials and vowed to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
Drumgath GAC, Paul Faloon’s own club, also expressed their disappointment in the turn of events, highlighting his reputation as one of the country’s top officials.
Despite the controversy, Kilcoo manager Karl Lacey remained focused on the game itself and praised his team’s performance. He acknowledged the existence of issues surrounding the referee but stated that his role was to shield the players from distractions and guide them towards success in the Ulster club championship.
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