Declan Bonner brands officiating ‘an absolute disgrace’ following Ulster exit

Declan Bonner has labelled the officiant during Na Rossa’s Ulster JFC loss to Lisnaskea on Sunday as an ‘absolute disgrace’.

Bonner’s Donegal champions lost out by a single point on a difference of 2-5 to 1-9 in Letterkenny. 

Over the course of a tetchy hour in O’Donnell Park referee Richie Donoghue from Derry flashed six red cards - five of them against Bonner's men - eight yellow cards, the bulk of them to Na Rossa players and three black, two to Na Rossa. 

Three Na Rossa players as well Bonner at half-time and team physio Mickey McGlynn, in the second half, were all dismissed. 

Goin into injury time Na Rossa still had their noses in front but a poor call against keeper John Paul McCready for overcarrying allowed the Fermanagh men to equalise. 

And they’d kick a subsequent winner though Conor Clarke to finally progress to the next round. 

“We always look at our end of it and our discipline end of it,” said Bonner after. “But what went on in the first ten minutes was unbelievable.

“He was lashing out yellow cards like they were confetti. I think after nine minutes we had been shown six yellow cards. 

“In all my time involved, I’ve never seen officiating like it. It was an absolute disgrace.

“I know refereeing is not easy. But the way these boys act you cannot talk to them. If you question them they are on the defensive right away.

“I questioned one or two decisions at half-time and all of a sudden you are up in the stand. 

I questioned a number of decisions. Every time there was a hand laid on a fella he went down and it is a yellow card.” 

The Na Rossa manager's ire was not only aimed at the man in the middle, he was also critical of the officiating team along the perimeter.  

“The overall officiating from the linesmen and the fourth official was not good. They seemed to have a real attitude coming in there today.

“I’ve been involved in football for a long long time and I can take the good with the bad.

“But when you come up against the likes of what we saw out there today it is very disappointing and very disheartening.

“The players put in a huge shift out there.  We went through the championship up to today without picking up a red card and we ended up with five today. 

“I’m so disappointed and I know I will get into trouble for this but I’m so disappointed with what happened in terms of the game. It was a proper game if it was officiated properly.” 

But despite his annoyance and that of his team Bonner is also the club chairman Na Rossa will be making no formal complaint about the officiating. 

“The game is over and all I will say from an officiating point of view it was an absolute disgrace. But we will not be making any complaints. We lost it on the pitch and best of luck to Lisnaskea, in the next round.”