Inconclusive.
Tadhg de Búrca’s red card was the only drawback of an otherwise scintillating day for Waterford hurling.
For a third season in a row, the Deise marched into the All-Ireland semi-finals and Derek McGrath’s men await their fate of a game with either Galway or Cork for a place in the elusive decider on the first Sunday of September.
That task got a hell of a lot tougher though when Tadhg de Búrca received a red card for an off-the-ball incident where it was deemed that he caught the face guard of an opponent.
The half back has been putting in monstrous performances for his county on their march back from defeat against Cork in the provincial championship and the thought of Waterford taking on either the Leinster or Munster kingpins without their merciless number 5 will sit uncomfortably with Derek McGrath on Sunday evening.
The incident which led to Tadhg de Búrca’s red card is clouded with uncertainty though.
Harry Kehoe tries to stop the Waterford man from making a break up the line and de Búrca seemingly reacts by grabbing him and throwing him away.
WATCH:
Tadhg de Búrca's red card was the one big black spot on @WaterfordGAA's win today. Linesman gave the big call. #GAAclips pic.twitter.com/AlnQ8LuVJE— eir Sport (@eirSport) July 23, 2017
It’s difficult to decipher whether or not de Búrca grabbed Kehoe by the face guard or not, whether contact with it was intentional, and also how much blame the Wexford man should take for starting the flashpoint.
On The Sunday Game, the panel had sympathy with the Waterford man because his run was stopped and Anthony Daly rightly pointed out the inconsistencies in the punishments for face guard offences nowadays.
All of them did conclude that Derek McGrath and his team ought to appeal the red card and that they should stand a chance.
The panel discuss Tadhg de Burca's red card pic.twitter.com/jCROHkgv0U
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 23, 2017
It’s inconclusive, it’s a reaction to being blocked illegally but the linesman had the best view and his verdict could stand.
It would be a shame for Waterford and the man himself though to see the county have to compete in their biggest game of the year without Tadhg de Búrca.
Once again, the instigator prevails.
