McStay predicts ‘mayhem’ over black card inconsistency

The All-Ireland SFC will descend into mayhem unless referees achieve consistency in their policing of the black card, Kevin McStay has warned.

The former Mayo footballer claims several cynical fouls were incorrectly punished with yellow cards during the league, but such indecisive refereeing will not be tolerated during the championship.

“Championship will be the acid test for the black card,” he told RTÉ’s League Sunday Extra.

“When there is extra attention and extra cameras which comes with championship time and games, the debate will turn to very quickly ‘why weren’t black cards issued? Why are yellow cards being distributed in lieu of black cards?’ That will be the big challenge for officials.

“So much as they can, officials will have to standardise and get consistent, otherwise there will be mayhem for the championship. It won’t be acceptable during the championship that decisions that we don’t see on camera during the league are let off. That won’t happen.”

McStay (pictured) believes the game’s speed merchants have benefited hugely from the introduction of the black card as defenders, amid concerns of an early shower, are afraid to commit in the tackle, a sentiment shared by Tomás Ó Sé.

“My own view is that because of the black card, players are half afraid to commit to serious challenges,” espoused the recently retired Kerry footballer.

“So those players that are well able to run, the Darren O’Sullivans, Mark Lynch, Paul Kerrigan, they’ll attack a lot more, they’ll make more of those runs because if they are taken down, there is a strong possibility a black card will be shown. Defenders are aware of that as well.”

He added: “I will be interested to see will teams deploy an extra man or two back into defence come championship to counteract the running, a method of defending which we haven’t seen during the league.

“A lot of people are putting the high scores down to the black card but a lot of defences aren’t packing lads either. Championship will tell a lot. I don’t think defences will change hugely to the way they are set-up now.”