Tipp star Kieran Bergin backed Brian Cody's interpretation of the controversial late free awarded to the Premier County in the drawn All-Ireland SHC final.

Cody received a slap on the wrist from GAA authorities for describing referee Barry Kelly's decision to penalise Brian Hogan for charging as 'criminal' but, speaking to The Irish Independent, Bergin admitted: "If you had to look at it from an objective kind of view, I don't think it really was a free myself.

"I suppose I shouldn't really have said that but 99pc of referees will give a free in.

"In fairness, I thought he (Kelly) did a good job overall but if I was a Kilkenny player I would have been expecting a free in there.

"Then again, you don't really know the rules. Seemingly, (Brian Hogan) did charge at him and he (Padraic Maher) stood his ground.

"Anyway as it turns out, we lost it the replay."

Killenaule clubman Bergin is hopeful Eamon O'Shea will stay on as Tipp manager.

"We would all love to see him stay around.

"It was nearly the first thing we were all discussing after the game apart from being disappointed that we couldn't win it for him. It would be a backwards step next year (if he left).

"I think talking to the players, he is just trying to iron out a few issues that he had with the county board last year, maybe just to get that extra 2pc out of the players.

"I think he need a bit more funding or something. I think he should be able to iron that out and that he will stay on then.

"I can't see anyone else replacing him. Someone else coming in would find it very hard to get the respect of the players.

"It's hard to explain the bond that's there. He's a great manager, very intelligent and he's as honest as the day is long.

"It would be very hard to turn and follow somebody else especially when we're so close to getting over the line."

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