Limerick-Cork’s Timekeeping Was Perfect, Says Brendan Cummins
Limerick-Cork’s timekeeping was perfect, says Brendan Cummins, despite the heated debate surrounding the additional minutes played in both regular and extra time of the Munster hurling final at the TUS Gaelic Grounds. The drama intensified as Thomas Walsh was forced off due to cramp at the end of normal time, with James Owens stepping in to officiate the remainder of the match. According to Cummins, who spoke on The Sunday Game, the referees handled the timeline of events with precision.
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Cummins carefully laid out the key moments, beginning with Walsh’s injury. “It was two minutes and 25 seconds before the game restarted, and that time was accounted for,” the former Tipperary goalkeeper explained. Moving ahead to Aaron Gillane’s free, Cummins noted that when Gillane’s shot sailed over the bar, the clock read 83 minutes. Owens immediately blew the whistle for half-time in extra time, signaling no issues with timekeeping at that point.
As extra time drew to a close, Owens was seen clearly indicating one minute of added time to his fellow officials. With just under 90 minutes on the clock, Shane O’Brien was fouled by Damien Cahalane, resulting in a free. Complicating matters, Cian Lynch suffered a head injury during the same sequence and required treatment before being taken off, which took approximately a minute. While waiting, Aaron Gillane confirmed with the referee if it was okay to proceed with the free, highlighting that the additional time had not yet expired.
The final act came when Darragh Fitzgibbon lined up a free from his own half. Cummins noted that the referee didn’t signal it as the last puck of the game. Fitzgibbon’s shot deflected off Nick Quaid for a 65. At 92 minutes and 37 seconds, Fitzgibbon stepped up for the 65. Cummins emphasized a crucial rule, learned from speaking with several referees: if the ball goes out for a 65, the player must be allowed to take it, regardless of the clock. “To be fair to the officials,” Cummins concluded, “they got the timing right. The timekeeping was spot on.”
