Annagh card confusion a small footnote on Irish Cup dream day against Portadown
Although goals by Ryan Swan, Jack Evans and Stephen Murray ensured there was no confusion over Annagh United’s status as Irish Cup winners against Portadown on Saturday – one incident did leave many baffled inside Tandragee Road.
With Annagh holding a slender but well-earned 3-2 advantage heading into the closing 15 minutes or so of the shock win, play was disrupted for a brief period following a number of players from both sides reacting to an exchange.
Referee Mark Dillon opted to book Portadown’s Ryan Mayse then appeared to brandish a second yellow card at Conall Young.
Young, however, had been in the referee’s notebook from the first half following a booking.
However, no red card followed for Young.
Annagh made a rapid substitution moments after, with Harry Evans on to replace Young, as media and fans shared confusion over the situation.
The moment led to debate over if a mistake had been made or the card was issued to a different Annagh player despite many watching live sharing the assumption it was towards Young.
Portadown had club personnel watching from the main stand with a view closest to the incident and communication was quickly made to players on the pitch to notify those in the visitors’ dug-out.
The names of Scott McCullough and Paul Finnegan were discussed between press and those watching as potential Annagh players other than Young as intended recipients of the card.
Post-match efforts to seek clarification from both clubs and the match officials ultimately led to the consensus that officially the Annagh card was for Stephen Murray.
When asked after the game if he was expecting a red for Young to follow the second-half yellow, Annagh boss Ciaran McGurgan said: “I was actually...I thought it was Conall.
"The boys are saying it was Stephen Murray but he definitely looked as if he showed it to Conall.”
Ultimately, it proved a brief confusing footnote on an afternoon to remember overall for Annagh United.