O’Leary calls for common sense from Coldrick

CORK defender Noel O’Leary has called on referee David Coldrick to show some common sense in Sunday’s Munster SFC final against Kerry.

The Cill na Martra man is hopeful the Meath official will dictate the game between the rivals with an understanding that there will be heavy hits.

“There is definitely that element (common sense) that you’d be hoping refs could see,” said O’Leary. “It is going to be tough, it is going to be hard.

“There are certain refs that aren’t leaving a lot go and I think that takes from the game as well.

“You’d be hoping a ref could go with the flow a bit before letting too much go at the same time.”

O’Leary says the possibility of facing an eight-week ban if he picks up a red card following his one against Kerry in February’s league game is not weighing on his mind.

“It’s not something that would be in my head but certainly, something you can’t afford to do from here on out is show indiscipline.

“It mightn’t even take that, it might be something simple but there are a good few guys like that in the same situation.

“But my attitude to the thing is if you are going to come out with an attitude of ‘look I’m going to have to hold back on this one’ then you are no good to anyone that way.

“I’ll be going out, and I presume anyone else caught in the same situation would be going out the same way they always would.

“If it happens it happens we can’t do a lot about it, that’s the way it is.”

O’Leary feels his reputation as a tough, uncompromising defender has preceded him and worked against him with some referees.

“There can be an element to it at times. I suppose you’d be nitpicking there, refs are different, everyone has a different style.

“Look, I couldn’t say a ref would be tough on one lad and not on the other. I think they can be consistent enough that way, to be fair about it.

“It is just in the overall game the inconsistency is there. There are certain referees letting more things go in games compared to others and until that is got right it is going to be a bit of a problem.”

O’Leary has also raised doubts about whether Kerry respect them after Cork claim last year’s All-Ireland title.

“It is hard to know. It is a tough one and it’s something I’d say we’ll never know. I don’t know, Kerry are Kerry. Look, they have been the benchmark in Gaelic football and it’s going to be hard to see them respecting anyone.

“They go out and play their game, they want to win every game, win All-Irelands and it doesn’t matter who gets in the way.

“So regards respecting teams I’d say yes they will give them respect but all that matters to them at the end of it is the cream.”