Picture credit: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE
Louth manager Aidan O' Rourke has claimed that Dublin players got around the black card rule by cynically 'bear hugging' star midfielder Paddy Keenan.
Under new rules a player must "deliberately pull down an opponent" to the ground to be awarded a black card under new rules. O'Rourke feels that by using the bear hug style, (or what's known as a choke tackle in rugby) Dublin players are avoiding the sanction by keeping both players on their feet.
'To be honest, the most annoying part of the game regarding the official was that Paddy Keenan was being cynically fouled every time he got possession,' O'Rourke told the Irish Examiner. 'But he wasn’t brought to the ground, therefore it wasn’t a black card. That completely defeats the purpose of addressing cynical fouling.'
The Armagh, All-Ireland winning defender also described the new sanction as a 'shambles' and said the lack of refereeing consistency has left the players in limbo.
