Antrim chairman Ciaran McCavana has defended his decision to call a halt to last night's county SFC semi-final replay in the middle of a free-taking competition.

After extra-time had failed to separate Portglenone and Lamh Dhearg at The Dub, a free-kick shoot-out took place and the sides were still deadlocked at 9-9 when McCavana dramatically stepped in. He consulted with both managers who agreed to another replay at the weekend.

“I believe it was the right call morally,” McCavana said in a video posted on Antrim GAA Twitter’s account.

County chairman on tonight's drawn game and sudden death penalty shoot out #NorthernSwitchgearSFC pic.twitter.com/Jq4W1p4GAW

— Antrim GAA (@AontroimGAA) September 26, 2019

“I’m glad I’ve done it. It might not please everyone, but I have to have the moral courage to look after the players.

“We have amateur players who are giving their all, they’re training for nine months and they don’t deserve to lose the county semi-final and the chance to play in the final that way.”

Antrim GAA has announced that the proceeds from the second replay will be split equally between the deterMND, Paul McKeever’s Cancer Focus and Friends of Cancer Centre charities.

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