Ó hAilpín calls for International Rules change

Cork's All-Ireland winning captain Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has thrown his weight behind efforts to alter the International Rules Series' controversial red card rule.

The Na Piarsaigh hurler was speaking from Melbourne where he is currently partaking in a two-week training stint with AFL club Carlton Blues, who have both of Ó hAilpín youngest brothers, Setanta and Aisake, on their books.

The “clothesline” tackle of Chris Johnson on Ireland defender Philip Jordan which saw the Australian co-captain sent-off in last month's International Rules second Test is still a major talking point Down Under with the AFL in pre-season mode.

Brisbane-based Johnson is due to be hauled up before a tribunal in the coming days, but under the hybrid game's rules, he was allowed to be replaced by another player, leaving both sides with 15 men on the field at the Telstra Dome.

The 28-year-old Ó hAilpín, who figured in both Test matches, feels a rule change would cut out such controversial incidents from the Series.

“What Chris Johnson did was overboard in the International Rules game,” said the 2005 All-Star nominee.

“I feel he just should've been sent off - which he was - and no one (be allowed) to come in to replace him because you've got to be penalised for an act like that which we kind of felt he wasn't.

“Someone else came in and replaced him, so it was still 15 against 15, maybe if someone got sent off - straight red card - and teams are put at a numerical disadvantage, things might change.”

Ó hAilpín has been impressed with what he has seen so far of brother Setanta, who was elevated to the Blues' senior list last month.

“In the space of two years I can't believe how big Setanta's got,” he said after training at the Melbourne Grammar School.

“When he left two years ago I remember him as a tall, gangly, scrawny fella - well he's still gangly, but he's put on a bit of meat.

“Every time he comes home in the off-season and we're kicking the footy around, you see big differences in the way he guides the ball down and the way he follows through, he keeps the head down and over the ball so he's made good progress.”