O'Connor questions decision not to send Michael Murphy off 

Michael Murphy of Donegal is shown a yellow card by referee David Gough. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Jack O’Connor questioned the decision not to send off Michael Murphy for striking Dylan Casey in the first half of this Division 1 final.

Casey required medical attention after Murphy first made contact with the Kerry defender’s ribs and then his jaw after the Kerry defender moved the ball away.

After consulting with linesman Conor Lane, referee David Gough chose to book Murphy, who went onto score 1-5 and end up Donegal’s top scorer.

Asked about Murphy hitting Casey with closed fists, O’Connor said: “I agree with you, and you have better eyesight than a few other lads that were looking at it, let's put it like that. Yeah, so what can I say? That's what happened.” 

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness did not see the incident but admitted it was physical. 

“I didn't see anything of it, to be honest with you. But the game is very physical out there.”

McGuinness added there are other incidents not being picked up by officials that require attention. 

“Going back to the kick-outs, the game is very physical on kick-outs at the moment. There's an awful lot of blocking going on on kick-outs.

“I think people are going to people to hand them the ball and they're running into people to release people. That's not in the rulebook.

“People are talking in the media, coaches are talking about screening. Screening is not in the rulebook. It's a black card. If you intentionally screen somebody, you're coming across their path.

“So, I think that's definitely something that probably needs to be stamped out going into the championship because I do see a bad head injury coming from that one.”