Liam Rushe: There was no 'malicious intent' in Brendan Kenny red card incident

Rushe said he has not yet made a decision on his inter-county future with the Dublin hurlers

Liam Rushe on Brendan Kenny red card: "I didn't feel like he lined him up and went to do him or anything like that." Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Liam Rushe has jumped to the defence of Dublin colleague Brendan Kenny, insisting there was no 'malicious intent' behind his red card challenge on Clare's David Reidy last weekend.

Reidy was left concussed and was later hospitalised after being struck on the side of the helmet by the shoulder of Kenny in the 67th minute of Clare's All-Ireland quarter-final win in Thurles.

Kenny, who was only on the field a matter of minutes, was dismissed by referee James Owens.

Clare manager Brian Lohan suggested after the game that disciplinary action for 'anything around the head' appears 'to have slipped this year' generally and said the GAA 'are going to have to look at' this.

But speaking at the announcement that PwC has extended its title sponsorship of the PwC All-Stars and PwC Camogie All-Stars, Dubs colleague Rushe warned against any knee-jerk responses around discipline and defended Kenny.

"I don't think I can recall anybody being knocked unconscious in a game I was part of," said Rushe. "I think that's happened more frequently in club football games. So, very rare to see that happen.

"Honestly, I wasn't far away from it and didn't think that much of the contact. I didn't think there was malicious intent, I think it was timed badly. David kind of turned at the last second and smacks his head almost off the front of his (Kenny's) shoulder or chest. I didn't feel like he lined him up and went to do him or anything like that.

"I think Brendan was probably as shocked as everyone else. I think it's just an unfortunate incident. I don't think there's much more to it than that."

Dublin Hurler Liam Rushe was in attendance at Croke Park as PwC announce an extension of their title sponsorship of PwC GAA/GPA All-Stars and Camogie All-Stars for a further three years. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

As for head-high challenges in the game, veteran Rushe, who returned from retirement this season, said he doesn't think they're more prevalent now.

"No, I don't think so, no. I think it's about the same as it ever was. And I'd be wary of going introducing new rules and clamping down and then having the same result as we had with Ger Brennan's suspension, whereby there'll be a controversial incident next year and we'll say, 'Why in God's name did we bring this (new penalty) in?' And it'll have been a kind of a one-off.

"As I say, I really can't remember...I can't recall someone getting knocked out like that? It's just a mad incident."

Defeat to Clare brought the curtains down on the Leinster finalists' season. Rushe, who started three Championship games and came on in another having not previously featured since 2022, said he is weighing up his mind about whether to stay on for 2027.

Asked if he has made any decision, the 36-year-old shook his head.

"No, I haven't. So we're three days out, three days out from getting knocked out. I haven't decided much now. We'll just refocus on the club now in a few weeks and get going there and see how things go."

The Clare defeat extended Dublin's poor record against teams from Munster, with just one win - against Limerick last year - from their last dozen League and Championship outings against teams from the south.

"The Leinster-Munster thing is just completely overblown," said Rushe, referencing the apparent disparity between the provinces.

The former All-Star also suggested that, in an ideal world, Dublin wouldn't have played against Wexford, Galway and Kilkenny on consecutive weekends in the Leinster round-robin.

"I think two games over two weekends should be the max," said Rushe, who injured his calf in the warm-up before the third game.