Brian Gavin: Donegal already avoided a clear-cut ban this year. They may not be so lucky this time

If Jim McGuinness is to receive the same sanction and treatment as Dublin boss Ger Brennan, who received 12 weeks for his own half-time rush of blood, then it won’t be a surprise

SHAKING HANDS: Managers Jim McGuinness and Jack O'Connor shake hands after the spiky All-Ireland SFC meeting in Killarney on Saturday. Pic: James Lawlor, Inpho

To say there is no love lost between Donegal and Kerry would be an understatement.

They were All-Ireland finalists, of course, but after some of the stuff that went on in the league final went unpunished there was bound to be an edge to Saturday’s game in Killarney.

The GAA probably knew that too, putting one of their best referees in charge, but even Seán Hurson was going to be under pressure in a game as charged.

There were indications in the first half that it would kick off but it well and truly did when the hooter sounded for the end of the first half and Evan Looney and David Clifford caught Caolan McGonagle late.

What followed was ugly. Players, substitutes, other players and backroom team members all became embroiled in skirmishes that went half of the pitch in Fitzgerald Stadium.

Micheál Burns was later sent off for striking Ryan McHugh who shed blood. I wonder did the match officials pick it up at the time or with all the technology that is available was it watched back at half-time? GAA+ has a handy rewind option.

Before the second half started, both managers were spoken to by Hurson about limiting the number of players on the sideline. That really should be the job of the county chairperson and this game could well be a watershed moment for the numbers allowed in the pitch perimeter.

It mightn’t happen this year but don’t be surprised if the only people permitted outside the dug-out or stand are the manager and medical officials in the future. And if that’s the case they will have nobody to blame but themselves.

We have heard in the last few months from managers calling for the restoration of the maor foirne. All I can say is good luck with that. When 40 to 50 people are allowed to flood onto a pitch, it is a recipe for farce and I felt sorry for Hurson trying to deal with it.

Looney was booked just before Burns rightly paid for his uppercut but this isn’t going to be the end of it for the counties. A maor uisce on both teams put hands on players. At least Kieran Donaghy, one of Kerry’s water carriers, tried to defuse the situation but you can expect there will be further sanctions.

Jim McGuinness took exception to Diarmuid O’Connor and looked to push the Kerry player after he saw McHugh’s face. In McGuinness’ defence, he had just seen his player hurt and you could understand his anger but it doesn’t justify doing what he did.

If he receives the same treatment as Ger Brennan, who received 12 weeks for his own half-time rush of blood, then it won’t be a surprise. There isn’t a whole lot to differentiate between the two incidents only that the Dublin manager was sent off and McGuinness wasn't. You just can’t get involved with a player like that.

If Hurson saw it and chose not to do anything then McGuinness could be in the clear but Donegal have already avoided one clear-cut suspension this year. It might be difficult for the GAA to explain them avoiding another.

For what Murphy got away with in the league final, Clifford was fortunate not to receive punishment in this latest meeting. He should have picked up a card for raising the elbow on McGonagle in the first half. As good a player as Clifford and Murphy are, you can’t think you can cross the line and get away with it.

Whether it was a red is open to interpretation. It wasn’t that different to Colm O’Callaghan’s raised arm on Ruairí Kinsella after fielding the ball in Páirc Ui Rinn later that day. As I saw it, Cork's O’Callaghan was leaning into him to get away from the Meath man’s challenge.

Brendan Cawley did not hesitate in sending off the Cork midfielder but I would question the decision based on the lack of intent. I don’t think there was enough there and, perhaps fortunately, it didn’t affect the outcome of the game.

Hurling-wise, Sunday's Cork-Clare clash turned out to be a disappointing match. Whether people like it or not, Johnny Murphy is consistent with his issuing of cards especially the holding that goes on in the inside forward lines off-the-ball both sides of the field.

Clare were aggrieved when Rob Downey appeared to flick back on Diarmuid Stritch in the first half and Damien Cahalane was rightly yellow carded for persistent holding of Peter Duggan.

Late on, Clare were sloppy and received several yellow cards for all loose, late flicks of the hurl – Diarmuid Ryan, Niall O’Farrell, David McInerney, Seán Rynne and Tony Kelly. It’s an area they have to tidy up before their All-Ireland quarter-final.

Thomas Walsh let the game flow in Parnell Park and when both teams know the lie of the land there doesn’t tend to be much arguing.

The penalty for Dublin won by Ronan Hayes saw Killian Doyle yellow carded and it could have been a black as Hayes was in possession of the ball. John Donnelly and Richie Reid were booked and they were merited.

In Newbridge, Kildare’s Cathal McCabe received a red card for a jab to the groin area of Offaly’s Ciarán Burke. It was well spotted by Michael Kennedy’s umpires and it was plain sailing for Offaly thereafter.