This is depressing and it should not be allowed to happen.
A lot of people need to be taken to task over this.
What the hell has the linesman or the umpire told the referee? The ref’s back was turned so someone has advised him to send off Bill Maher for the incident with Kevin McLoughlin (the word ‘incident’ used here in the loosest possible manner).
What have they witnessed? Either an official has seen the push and lied to the referee that it was worse than a push. Or the official has not seen the push and lied to the referee that he did see what happened.
Kevin McLoughlin also needs to be questioned.
You can’t roll around on the deck and do that to someone if you’re not genuinely hurt.
You shouldn’t be allowed to feign injury or try to get a fellow Gael sent off. What’s worse is that there were only minutes remaining and Mayo were going to win regardless. Unless McLoughlin really did get hurt, it was unnecessary and completely unfair on a man that has done as much work as he had to get to that stage and a man who deserved to stand on the field next to the Mayo men.
Only two weeks ago, the same thing happened. Another non-event occurred off the ball and another ridiculous call was made by another incorrect official. Eoghan O’Gara received a straight red for patting Neil McGee on the belly – the Donegal man at least didn’t play any part in the referee’s decision; in fact, he looked as perplexed as the Dublin forward when a red card was brandished and, by all accounts, the full back was asking the umpire afterwards what the hell had just happened.
On Sunday, in Tipperary’s first semi-final for 81 years, Bill Maher was expelled to the sideline as his county desperately tried to claw back the deficit and rescue their season.
This is why.
WARNING: The following pictures contain… nothing.
Bill Maher is very clearly standing NEXT to Kevin McLoughlin.
Footage actually shows the Mayo forward thrusting his arm at Maher first – but it’s nothing worth talking about either. None of this is.
At the top of the screen, Maher’s hands are seen on McLoughlin.
HE’S GOT A GRIP OF HIS JERSEY!
The ref, meanwhile, can’t see a thing.
It all becomes clear from the other angle.
Maher pushed him and he has no defence.
UPDATE: A better angle has since emerged that looks like McLoughlin took a strike of some sort.
It doesn’t look particularly clear-cut, it doesn’t look like a straight fist, but Maher seems to thrust his arm into McLoughlin’s gut.
@SportsJOEdotie @TheSundayGame think the red card is pretty legit pic.twitter.com/4PWaZie01B
— Barry Duffy (@barryduf) August 21, 2016
It still seems harsh but the Mayo man might well have felt.
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