Tim O'Mahony 'lucky he didn’t break his neck' in Cian Lynch incident - Paul Murphy

Linesman James Owens attempts to separate Limerick's William O’Donoghue and Tim O’Mahony of Cork after O’Mahony's run in with Cian Lynch. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Cork defender Tim O’Mahony was lucky not to break his neck in his exchange with Cian Lynch late in the second half of Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final, according to former Kilkenny star Paul Murphy.

After consulting with his linesman and umpire, referee Fergal Horgan booked both O’Mahony and Lynch for the incident when Limerick's man of the match reacted to a hurley around his neck by throwing O'Mahony over his shoulder. William O’Donoghue was also yellow carded for his involvement in the small melee that followed it.

“It was a terrible tackle and O’Mahony is lucky,” four-time All-Ireland SHC winner Murphy told the SportsJoe GAA Hour. “I was looking at it going, ‘Jesus, he’s lucky he didn’t break his neck there.’ But I think when you see it afterwards he was leveraging him over.

“Now people have referenced rugby saying that if it was rugby would it be a red card? It would but you expect to see it in rugby where you’re picked up and you’re not holding the player as he goes to ground.

“But Cian Lynch dumped him over. I don’t think Cian Lynch expected him to land on his neck. He kind of wanted to throw him over. Nevertheless, he landed.” 

Ex-Galway forward Damien Hayes said Lynch’s move was a reaction to Robert Downey giving him “a flick” seconds previously. He continued: “So there was frustration there. Pure frustration. He lifted up Tim O’Mahony. I don’t believe he meant to put him down on his neck.” 

Peter Casey is expected to have his injured knee scanned later this week in the hope it doesn’t rule him out of Na Piarsaigh’s senior county championship campaign due to begin next month.

Having already scored five points, Casey attempted to play on after jarring his knee late in the first half but was replaced by Graeme Mulcahy just before half-time.