Counihan questions Kerrigan’s red card

He’s not normally the type to betray his emotions and, while Conor Counihan chose his words carefully, they could hardly mask his sense of frustration at Paul Kerrigan’s sending-off near half-time.

There was clearly a pair of transgressors when the Nemo man tangled with Armagh wing-back Finian Moriarty underneath the main stand but Kerrigan had the last word by motioning his head towards his opponents and the home support duly erupted.

It was a silly act by a man of his experience and one which would be rewarded with a no-questions-asked red card in the pampered world of the English Premier League but it merited nothing more than a caution.

“I had a fairly good view of it,” said Counihan. “I think it was the linesman who made the decision under a certain amount of duress.

“That’s it. I’d be far more interested in what more objective people would make of it.”

It wasn’t the only decision with which he and a fair few others of a more objective bent felt were harsh on the visitors and the Cork manager’s opinion was obvious here too even if he bit his lip when it was put to him.

Some referees get criticised for being too strict, other for being too lenient. Syl Doyle got grief for a bit of both yesterday. Though he handed out that red and ten yellows besides, some felt he wasn’t quick enough to lay down the law early on.

Whether that contributed to the 27-man bout of handbags on the verge of half-time is a moot point and one that can’t be proven but the Wexford man reacted by cautioning just two players.

“What do you make of it?” Counihan asked.

“I don’t know if there was one decent punch thrown but if the GAA wants to be serious about that they have to start from scratch and wipe it out totally. It happens week in, week out.

“Referees aren’t responsible but it does happen and as long as people know you can get away with a certain amount it is a question of everyone doing it. It is up to officials but there was nothing thrown in that even if it shouldn’t happen.”

Unwelcome though it was, it set the scene for a much-improved second-half and one which threatened to get away from Cork who finally did enough to eke out a draw.

“I suppose it was a mixture of everything,” said Counihan. “Having gone down to 14 men there it looked like we were going to get nothing out of it but in fairness we dug deep.

“I said coming up that if we got something out of it we would be reasonably happy and under the circumstances we would be happy on balance.”

They will need to be far better when Down visit next week. So too will Armagh who go to Kerry.

“They looked very impressive Saturday night,” said Armagh coach Paddy O’Rourke, “and these things don’t get any easier.

“If we grow a bit from today, and I’m sure we will, we’ll go down there and enjoy it. We’ll take them on and see where it take us.”