Eoin Larkin says refs must be cautious with card calls

Kilkenny’s Eoin Larkin believes referees must give more consideration when handing out yellow and red cards.

After undergoing groin surgery earlier this year, the James Stephens man impressed in his first game this year in Sunday’s facile Leinster semi-final win over Wexford, a game in which Diarmuid Kirwan showed just one yellow card to Wexford’s Liam Ryan.

Larkin insisted that nobody could have any complaints with the Cork referee’s performance, but he has been dismayed with other recent decisions and has articulated his concerns on Twitter. Following Seanie Tobin’s red card against Clare, Larkin posted: “Absolute joke @Tellytobin gets a 1 match ban for that even after an appeal. we won’t be allowed have hurls playin shortly.”

Watching the highlights of the Carlow-Antrim qualifier game, he remarked: “This is laughable,” and added: “Red card for cody absolute joke.hard challenge but no intent or any of that bulls*** they go on wit(h). 3 matches 5 red cards. god be wit(h) the days it was a talkin point to have a lad sent off.”

Speaking after Sunday’s game, Larkin elaborated: “It’s frustrating to see. When I was growing up it was a serious talking-point for any man to get sent off. To see a red card in a game it was an horrendous blow. Now it just seems that’s the way it’s going.

Larkin had no concerns about his lack of match fitness ahead of the Wexford match and he was proven right in setting up a goal and scoring three points. “It’s always in the back of your mind but I knew I had a good bit of fitness work done so I knew I had a good base. And having the last two or three weeks of training, I was happy enough going into the game.

He didn’t see Galway’s wins over Dublin and Laois but heard all about them and ahead of Sunday week’s Leinster final meeting is aware of how dangerous Galway are when they are resurgent.

“They’re impressive, they’re scoring, are doing well and their backs are coming up with scores as well so we’ll have our work cut out in two weeks’ time. They’re a serious team and the big question about Galway over the last couple of years was could they repeat a performance after a good performance. But they proved that against Laois and they seem to be a different Galway team.”