'Very harsh': John Cleary contests O'Callaghan red card and hails Cork's resolve

"It isn't, to me, a deliberate strike or anything like that,” said the Cork manager after a gripping win over Meath. 

OFF EARLY: Colm O'Callaghan of Cork leaves the pitch after being sent off during the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Round 1 match between Cork and Meath at Páirc Uí Rinn in Cork. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile

“Very harsh” was Cork manager John Cleary’s verdict of the straight red card shown to midfielder Colm O’Callaghan.

Given the 51st minute sending-off did not derail Cork’s lead position, there are a great many positive reflections from Cleary that we could have led off with. After all, it was the three-point victory over last year's All-Ireland semi-finalists that would eventually supersede the red card as the chief talking point of the evening.