'We've gone more like the Champions League'
October 24, 2024
The Downs' Luke Loughlin celebrates Ciaran Nolan's goal. ©INPHO/Evan Treacy.
The Downs manager Johnny Murray believes penalty shootouts have no place in the GAA.
Murray made his dislike for shootouts known after his side lost last Saturday’s Westmeath SFC final replay to St Loman’s 3-0 on penalties.
“It’s not right. Penalties – we’ve gone more like the Champions League. They (St Loman’s) definitely weren’t three goals the better team, and I think everyone would acknowledge that,” he told the local media.
“I heard John Heslin say (in his acceptance speech) that it wasn’t luck. I think they did have a fair bit of luck. If that last ball had gone over the bar at the end of normal time – and it was a pretty good shot for a score – it might have been the other way around.
“Credit to St Loman’s though, they are a very decent team.
“We had a fair idea that it was going to be a tight match and we did practice penalties during the week. Those lads who took the penalties were a credit to their club and probably tiredness and fatigue could have got to them.”
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