Kieran Donaghy has once again sought to play down the incident in last month’s All-Ireland final that will see Philly McMahon miss the opening game of the league next year.
Dublin decided not to contest a charge by the GAA that will see the corner-back serve a one-match ban for an alleged eye-gouge of the Kerry full-forward in last month’s three point win over the Kingdom in Croke Park.
McMahon denied that he had eye-gouged the Austin Stacks man, while Donaghy felt the incident needed to be left on the field after the defeat, and did not want to be drawn too heavily on any possible punishment for the Ballymun man.
McMahon struggling to distinguish between the ball and Donaghy’s eye??? #DUBvKER pic.twitter.com/W0tYDsdzRc
— Tommy Folliard (@tommyfolliard) September 20, 2015
There was much concern afterwards as to how close Donaghy may have been to a serious injury from McMahon’s finger, but speaking on Radio Kerry’s Terrace Talk last night the former Football of the year told host Weeshe Fogarty that any fear of injury for him was wide of the mark.
“No, it was nothing close to serious eye damage. An incident like that could be serious if it happened to someone at a different time but for me it was nothing that I was going to have anything serious or long-term out of.”
“It’s obviously something you’d like to stay away from and I don’t think he meant it. Whether he did or didn’t he’s the only one who knows and he was going for the ball like he said and I was going for the ball to the best of my ability to get it and a hop ball was the end result.”
