Referee rage as Kildare ladies into relegation final after controversial Donegal loss

TG4 All-Ireland Senior Championship Championship Relegation Qualifier

Donegal 0-9

Kildare 0-8

As no referee should want or desire, Eddie Cuthbert was the headline-maker as Donegal ran out 0-9 to 0-8 winners in Kingspan Breffni Park. The loss sends Kildare into a relegation final against Laois to try and retain their Senior status.

Kildare trailed by one with five to go and their momentum was stunted by a seemingly innocuous clash between Lara Gilbert and a Donegal player. Gilbert was dismissed for "charging" and that decision, along with many that came before, drew the ire of the Kildare supporters towards the man in the middle.

Donegal closed out for victory with the player advantage to retain their Senior status.

Scorers: Donegal, Susanne White 0-6 (0-4 frees), Abigail Temple Asokuh 0-1, Katie Herron 0-1, Amy Boyle Carr 0-1.

Kildare, Erin Brereton Foley 0-3, Róisín Byrne 0-3 (0-3 frees). Neasa Dooley 0-1, Grace Clifford 0-1.

KILDARE: Anna Dunlea; Fiona Troute, Alex Reynolds, Aoife Clifford; Ellie O'Toole, Ruth Sargent, Lara Gilbert; Grace Clifford, Leah Doran; Claire Sullivan, Neasa Dooley, Mia Doherty; Ellen Dowling, Róisín Byrne, Aoife Rattigan. Subs: Erin Brereton Foley for Ruth Sargent  (10 minutes), Niamh Farrelly for Aoife Rattigan (39 minutes), Sarah Munnelly for Claire Sullivan (44 minutes).

DONEGAL: Clare Friel; Shannon McLaughlin, Abigail Temple Asokuh, Evelyn McGinley; Katie Dowds, Niamh Boyle, Tara Hegarty; Róisín Rodgers, Eva Gallagher; Caoimhe Keon, Niamh McLaughlin, Amy Boyle Carr; Susanne White, Katie Herron, Niamh Carr. Subs: Blathnaid McLaughlin for Katie Dowds (39 minutes), Katie Long for Eva Gallagher (53 minutes).

Referee: Eddie Cuthbert (Down)