GAA’s yellow peril raised once more
Some 36 yellow cards were flashed during the three championship fixtures in Ulster, Munster and Leinster on Sunday afternoon. A further five red were issued. It made for an unedifying start to the code’s most important competition. Wicklow manager Mick O’Dwyer labelled some of the decisions in their clash with Carlow as “crazy” and accused Croke Park of trying to “destroy” the game. Though that fixture in Portlaoise produced the most cards – 17 yellow and three red – the tie between Armagh and Derry in Celtic Park coughed up a shocking 69 frees. The flurry of cards on the opening weekend has resurrected memories of the infamous Leinster SFC of Westmeath and Carlow in 1999 when six players were sent to the line. That was the first game in which yellow and red cards were used and the manner in which Niall Barrett, the referee 11 years ago, interpreted the laws led to a huge amount of introspection and confusion at the time. Year after year, there have been suggestions that referees come under greater pressure from Croke Park to “come down heavy” on the disciplinary front at the start of the summer but that theory was dismissed yesterday.
“The referees were brought in last weekend and they were, quite simply, asked to apply the rules to the best of their ability,” said the GAA’s match official manager Pat Doherty.
