Bidding for a first championship win over Mayo at Dr Hyde Park since 2001 the home side were trailing by two points when Ryan O’Donoghue was bundled over in the parallelogram.
Burke questioned the number of steps the Mayo centre-forward took before he was fouled.
“Eight steps are eight steps,” he suggested. “Were we not looking at Sean Bugler a month ago 14 steps in Croke Park and was there not a big clampdown on steps? Games being decided on eight steps by Ryan O’Donoghue.
“Was there not a penalty shout at the other end,” asked Burke. “He gave for a free out. Some of these decisions are baffling.
“We had a black card in Croke Park. I think it was the first time in history a black card was given for a man in front, Eoin McCormack was in front and he got a black card. Look, when you are the poor old Rossies you don’t get these calls, do you?
Burke said he was proud of the players and happy with their application.
“It was nip and tuck the whole way. I didn’t think the wind was a factor. We were happy eight all at half-time against the wind,” he said.
“Cillian (O’Connor) kicked one long-range at the start of the second half. But outside of that the wind had no real bearing. Where was it won and lost? There were a few key moments there. Men more educated than me might answer them ones.”
Looking ahead to their clash in two weeks’ time against Cavan which will decide who finished third in Group, Burke said that it was likely they would be without All Star Enda Smith who picked up what appeared like a serious injury in the dying seconds.
“We’ll probably be without our key man. They’ll be without their key man (Paddy Lynch). No excuses,” said Burke who suggested that based on geographical consideration the game will be probably played in either Longford or Mullingar.
Reflecting on the two ‘penalties’ Roscommon were not awarded Burke said for the first one Diarmuid Murtagh was through. “He gave a free out. Daire Cregg takes a shot at goal and it’s a foot block.
“The fourth official saw Ryan O’Donoghue’s was a penalty but never saw any Roscommon decisions. It’s very funny, isn’t it. Look lads, it is what it is.”
He described the Mayo penalty goal as a “killer.”
“All (they) momentum swung. It is difficult to recover, and we did but it’s tricky,” he said.
“That is a good Mayo side lads. Coming here, beating us three times this year isn’t a good record to have. We are very hurting over that. Never know, we might get them again,” he added.
