David Coldrick is currently refereeing the Ulster Final and flashing black cards like they're going out of fashion, which, given the shelf life of previous experimental rules in Gaelic football, may not prove to be too far from the truth. Tyrone have seen Matie Donnelly and Cathal McShane sent to the sidelines for incurring black card offences, with McShane's appearing particularly harsh.
McShane appeared to be fouled by a Donegal defender before going to ground in front of the Donegal goals upon going to ground. With no foul given, McShane ankle-tapped the Donegal defender as he attempted to get to the ball.
A Donegal free was given, and after a lengthy consultation with the umpire, Coldrick flashed a black card to McShane. The Tyrone player's trip was cynical, but it made zero impact on the game as a whole, so the ending of McShane's involvement in an Ulster final for such a minor offence seemed extremely harsh.
BBC Sport Northern Ireland sideline reporter Thomas Kane is at the game, however, and is claiming that McShane was banished for verbal abuse towards the umpire.
The BBC NI host said on air at half-time that "'We can't absolutely confirm it, but that's the information Thomas [Kane - sideline reporter] has".
.@thomaskane1 reporting that Cathal McShane got a black card for 'verbals'. Crazy! #gaa #tyrone
— Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) July 17, 2016
Elsewhere, BBC had a half-time debate concerning the black card, arguing that it was ultimately hindering the game:
Black card - Helping? or Hindering?#Ulster2016https://t.co/ZroznbimHV
— BBC SPORT NI (@BBCSPORTNI) July 17, 2016
