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Last Sunday’s clash between Cork and Kerry reminded me so much of Mayo’s All-Ireland final versus Meath in 1996. Mayo could and should have won in 1996. Cork could and should have won last Sunday. Cork were ahead by five points with 15 minutes remaining but were clinging on in those final minutes when Kerry came storming back into the game in typical bullish fashion. Cork have only themselves to blame as they should have been out of sight, notwithstanding the fact that referee Maurice Deegan stands accused of leaning very much in favour of Kerry in the closing stages of the match. He had indicated two minutes of additional time to be played in the second half, but left the clock running. Cork managed to edge in front with a converted 45 within those two minutes and appeared to have pulled off a sensational victory. But inexplicably Deegan managed to extend playing time by a further two minutes and, to add insult to injury, advanced the last free awarded to Kerry by 20 metres, giving Bryan Sheehan the easiest of chances to convert and level the game. The additional time played created a lot of debate after the game and Mick Curley, the chairman of the National Referees’ Association, was invited by RTÉ Radio 1 to discuss the matter. Curley, himself a former referee, understandably wasn’t ever going to land his former referee colleagues in the manure and went on to defend Deegan stoutly. I was on the same radio show and decided that I should come to the defence of both Deegan and Marty Duffy (Croke Park referee), reminding listeners that a young Pat McEneaney, who refereed the All Ireland in 1996, had a terrible game and we here in Mayo managed to forgive him for some of his bizarre decisions in both the drawn and replayed final of that year. Mick Curley did go on to suggest that he would be personally in favour of a countdown clock similar to that used so effectively in ladies football, rugby, and basketball, that would make life so much easier for referees. You know I’m not so sure about this at all. I never minded a draw in football, as long as I wasn’t involved in any way with a participating team. A drawn game creates great debate afterwards. Also I am delighted to have the opportunity to see these two teams have another go at progressing to a Munster final tomorrow evening. TV3 has again decided to televise the match at 5pm, and with a live Leinster championship encounter involving Kildare and Wexford also beamed into our living rooms at 7pm, we can have no complaints about our national broadcaster. If Cork do manage to prevail next Saturday evening, they will advance with great confidence and it will take a very good performance to beat them later in the year.

Former Inspector Mick Murray was last month promoted to the rank of Superintendent and will take up this duty in charge of Westport Garda District with effect from next Tuesday.

A Castlebar man who assaulted a member of the public who was reporting an incident to the gardaí at Castlebar Garda Station, was sentenced to three months in jail by Judge Mary Devins at Castlebar District Court this week.

During Belmullet District Court on Wednesday, Judge Conal Gibbons adjourned a number of cases which relate to recent protests against the Corrib Gas project, to special court sittings in July, September, and October.

Gardai in Athlone are warning members of the public to be vigilant following a surge of car break-ins in Athlone and surrounding areas.

THE TOWN Hall’s autumn season gets underway in earnest next week with a high-profile production of Martin McDonagh’s brilliantly visceral comedy of sibling rivalry, The Lonesome West.

Gardai are probing the possibility that there may be links between this week’s murder of an Offaly publican and a similar incident which occurred last month in Mullingar.

Members of the new Kilkenny Joint Policing Committee were delighted to hear that the post of garda sergeant is to be filled at Callan and Johnstown.

A Mullingar man has been disqualified from driving for two years after pleading guilty to dangerous driving.

I was surprised to learn recently that I shared a theatrical experience with the journalist and commentator Fintan O’Toole. Years ago Fintan went to the toilet during one of the many intervals in John Arden’s The Non-Stop Connolly Show (it was non-stop for an amazing 24-hours). The toilet was just behind the stage. When Fintan came out, the performance had restarted, and he was on stage. The audience applauded the embarrassed young Fintan.