Pat Spillane has branded Cork County Board as laughable for suggesting that a refereeing decision denied them an All-Ireland semi-final place.

Rebel chiefs released a lengthy statement yesterday, taking a swipe at outgoing manager Brian Cuthbert's critics and suggesting that the Leesiders would be in the last four but for Padraig Hughes' decision to award Kerry a soft penalty in the drawn Munster final. Cork were subsequently hammered by both Kerry and Kildare.

"The whole statement is a complete joke, really," Kingdom legend Spillane said on RTE 2FM on Monday. "It's laughable.

"First of all, blaming the referee for possibly costing them a place in an All-Ireland semi-final - I would agree that it probably wasn't a penalty but let's deal with facts, it was awarded with 20 minutes to go in the drawn match, it made the game a draw.

"After that, Cork had two great chances from frees and they failed, so that argument doesn't hold water. In the replay, the weather conditions were the same for both teams and Kerry won because they learned more from the drawn game. People will say that a seven-day turnaround was difficult but Kildare, who were humiliated by Dublin in the Leinster championship, had a six-day turnaround to play Longford and they won it, so I don't accept that.

"Yes, Brian Cuthbert is a gentleman, but I think that statement serves no purpose at all. Releasing a statement blaming a referee for costing them a place in an All-Ireland semi-final -come off it."

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