Compiled by DAMIAN CULLEN

Adding insult to injury time: The extra minutes guide

WITH all the recent controversy concerning the lack of injury-time played in several championship matches – prompting much grumbling from managers, supporters, and – you’re never going to believe this – The Sunday Game crew, we thought it might be handy to reprint an extract from the the Official Referee’s Guide that deals with injury-time.

Length of injury-time

Despite any number of stoppages during the second half, a tense game with enough controversial decisions for the referee to be the target of some vicious insults from both sets of supporters, is finely balanced by an equalising score right at the end of normal time. Amount of injury-time to be played: 10-15 seconds.

There were no stoppages whatsoever during the second half. Amount of injury-time to be played: 1 minute.

Matches ranging from having one short interruption of play, to many, many incidents of injuries and violence – as well as the obligatory time-wasting by the team in the lead. Amount of injury-time to be played: 2 minutes.

Second-half stoppages include waiting for an ambulance for an injured player, a free-for-all involving at least 15 players and moving the match to a different stadium. Amount of injury-time to be played: 3-4 minutes.

Faithful departed: Dooley was briefly back in it

WE envisioned Joe Dooley jumping up and putting back on the Bainisteoir top, and the Offaly players firing their gear bags and hurleys over the (locked of course) gates of O’Connor Park, before climbing in to get ready for Phase III of the All-Ireland hurling championship.

The GAA’s press release before yesterday’s draw informed us that Bowl A would contain “Aontroim agus Uíbh Fhailí”, while Bowl B would contain “Loch Garman/Luimneach agus An Clár/Gaillimh”.

Eh?

Did Dooley resign a little too quickly? The release was later changed, with Uíbh Fhailí being swapped with Corcaigh.

So Dooley is gone, after four seasons in charge of Offaly, and, after Limerick’s win on Saturday, Colm Bonnar also resigned from Wexford. The former Tipperary hurler was manager of the Leinster county for three seasons.

The two have much in common, being in charge of counties with a proud history, and containing fine hurlers, but with impossibly high expectations from the stands.

Next Weekend’s Safe Bet

Wins in football for: Down (1/20 v Leitrim), Armagh (1/5 v Wicklow), Antrim (1/5 v Carlow) Dublin (1/6 v Wexford). Total odds: 3/4

Next Weekend’s Crazy Bet

If the other four teams won – Leitrim (9/1), Wicklow (9/2), Wexford (5/1) Carlow (5/1) the accumulative odds would be (an unbelievable): 1,980/1

Board silly

DO you remember when a player would never dream of criticising a county board?

Now there’s a queue. And not only that but conspiracy theories are thriving. Fermanagh captain Barry Owens went so far as to claim someone of his county’s GAA officials were cheering for London in their recent game.

“It is a sad taste of affairs when you have people in the county board hoping you are going to be beat,” said Owens.

And Laois hurler James Young was quoted yesterday calling for the heads of the entire county board because of recent losses.

“Nothing is being done to rectify it – there always seems to be a problem between players and managements and it doesn’t take a genius to realise what’s wrong.

“Who is overseeing all of this? The county board . . . and now I think they should resign.”