Listowel Emmets manager Enda Murphy said the Kerry side's Croke Park dressing room was a quiet one following their defeat to Arva in Sunday's All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final.
Listowel had led by three points at half-time but Cavan junior champions Arva were by far the better side in the second half, eventually winning 0-13 to 0-10.
Murphy felt some key decisions by referee Anthony Nolan had gone against Emmets. Arva had just extended their lead to four points late in the game when, two minutes into injury time, Listowel midfielder Joe Joe Grimes fired a low shot to Cian O'Hara's net. Hope entered the eyes of Listowel's players but it was short-lived as Nolan had blown for a free before Grimes's strike.
14 January 2024; Arva captain Ciarán Brady lifts the cup after the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final match between Arva of Cavan and Listowel Emmets of Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
"We thought the goal should have been allowed at the end," Murphy told Radio Kerry.
"It was a very harsh call. I just asked Anthony [about it] after the match. First of all, he didn't want to explain it. Then he just said he thought we had lost the ball and he blew. Everyone makes mistakes. I think Anthony made a mistake there.
"If we'd got the goal, we were going to push up high, might have got something out of it. But look, that didn't happen and in the second half, Arva were better than us."
14 January 2024; Jack McElligott of Listowel Emmets is tackled by Thomas Partington, left, and Tristan Noack Hofmann of Arva during the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final match between Arva of Cavan and Listowel Emmets of Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
In the 45th minute, Listowel had Ger McCarthy sin-binned for what Nolan appeared to adjudge a trip on Arva midfielder Tristan Noack Hofmann.
"Definitely not," said Murphy when asked if he thought the call was correct.
"From my point of view, obviously, we'll watch it again, but they were two big calls against us. I didn't think it was, not under the rules of the black card. I'd like to see it again."
At half-time, Listowel had taken the precautionary decision to substitute midfielder Darragh Leahy.
14 January 2024; Listowel Emmets manager Enda Murphy before the AIB GAA Football All-Ireland Junior Club Championship final match between Arva of Cavan and Listowel Emmets of Kerry at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
"We felt we were under a bit of pressure," Murphy explained.
"He was on a yellow, on a ticking, and was only one strike away from having to leave the field. We just didn't think we could take the chance.
"He was a loss. His physique and everything, he's been brilliant to us all season. Sometimes, you have to make those hard calls."
In the second half, Arva dominated the Listowel kick-out.
"They pushed up on our kick out and they kept winning breaks around the middle of the field," said Murphy.
"Then it was nip and tuck, 8-7, 8-8. Then we got a black card. Inside in Croke Park, when you're down a man, it's hard. We were under pressure from there on and we found it hard to get the scores.
"Around the middle of the field in the second half, I suppose that's where we lost it. Ciaran Brady there, he's a county midfielder, he took over there for a patch. We didn't have an answer to him."
