But ritchie there is a loophole or should i say previous cases where players get off. Keanes is a recent example. A clear as day strike. Red card all day. Rescinded. Connollys was a red card too but less clear. Who knows what keegan was doing to him in the tussle. He could have had him by the goolies for all we know. This was after a swing to the face too. Its an all ireland final at stake. I would be shocked if the red stands given the way it happened.
If Connolly's red is appealed and it stands, Fair enough.
But we will appeal it and not because he is innocent, Or because he may/may not have been provoked, We should appeal because Kevin Keane got away with one.
whether thats right or not, I couldnt care less. Do what must be done to try get some kind of advantage for next week.
Cuchulainn's post, spot on, agree with all of that analysis.
The problem is that in spite of all the infringements that were going on only Dublin had players removed from the pitch. Three in fact, to none for the angels from the west.
That is what frustrates Dublin GAA fans, we always come out the worst on the refereeing side of things. What was the free count yesterday? - good luck trying to find out because the GAA don't highlight those things. It was 21 - 4 against Dublin last time out. It was 36 - 12 in favour of Mayo in the 2013 AI final. If it was even double free counts against you, there would be suspicions raised but at these levels time after time the only conclusion you can reach is that Dublin are penalised disproportionately all the time. I'm sick of it and just want impartial and consistent refereeing but we never seem to reach that minimal standard.
Dublin were incredibly indisciplined yesterday, I have no complaints about the black for Bastick or the red for Connolly but I think MDM just fouled and didn't deserve black. The Mayo lad that hauled Flynn down should have seen black. Umpire should have spotted COC's back hand strike on ROC and he should have seen red. McMahon should have seen red for his attempted head-butt and, although the referee saw it and adjudicated on it at the time, Jonny Cooper should have seen red for his kick out. Keegan should have received black at least, not yellow for dragging Connolly down - yet he was allowed to remain on the pitch. O'Connor trying to get Connolly sent off by mouthing off at the ref was the height of hypocrisy in light of what he did to ROC.
All game he was marshalled by two and often three Dublin lads. The Dubs lads were determined to stop him. It was fascinating stuff.
O'Shea did go in hard on Cluxton in the first half - then Cluxton had a go back. Not a lot in it all really.
The tackle on cluxton was a black card,i don't agree with the black card but thems the rule,oshea got away with it and fair play to him macauley was done for a black card that wasn't,its a farce of a rule ,to much open to interpretation,it should be dropped for 2016.
While I'm on the subject, Cian O Sullivan had a free awarded against him in the first half for jersey pulling. That could have been black under the rules, but the Mayo lad reacted to it by head-locking O Sullivan, driving him into the ground and falling on top of him, so at the least the ref should have thrown the ball in because of the retaliation.