O’Shea refused blood-sub entry

Mayo’s Aidan O’Shea was not permitted back onto the pitch at the start of Saturday’s second half as a blood substitute.

The Irish Examiner has been informed by Mayo team sources that O’Shea, despite bleeding after a clash of heads with Cillian O’Connor in first-half injury-time, could only return to the field as a full substitute.

Last year’s All Star midfielder had made way just before half-time to be replaced by Tom Parsons and on the resumption of play was prepared to return to the pitch.

However, what followed was a disagreement between James Horan and referee Cormac Reilly where the senior match official informed the manager O’Shea would not be permitted back on as a temporary blood substitute.

Strangely, Reilly gave the go-ahead to O’Connor, who wore a change of jersey (No14 to 28), being replaced by Alan Freeman at half-time. O’Connor then returned to the fray in place of Freeman in the 42nd minute.

O’Shea, who didn’t change his No11 jersey, spent the first 14 minutes of the second-half on the sideline before being reintroduced as a full substitute for first-half replacement Michael Conroy in the 49th minute.

Neither O’Shea nor O’Connor are understood to have suffered concussion although both were groggy after the first-half incident.

The news of O’Shea being refused entry onto the field as a blood substitute is sure to rile Mayo supporters further.