Over the weekend, we saw a number of players in Gaelic football become involved in off the ball incidents.
Tipperary's Michael Quinlivan and Tyrone's Ronan McNamee both saw red for offences against Kerry and Cavan respectively, with such incident unfortunately not part and parcel of the sport.
Does it add anything to the game? Certainly not, which is why referees are now clamping down.
The McNamee incident, which can be viewed from 1:49 in the clip below, was the one that caused the most debate.
⚪️🔴McCurry on fire and McShane returns as Tyrone march on!
📽️Highlights as @TyroneGAALive see off Cavan in the @UlsterGAA quarter-final!
Match report 👉 https://t.co/yfqeCGP7h2 pic.twitter.com/Kb0nG1DMH4— Sky Sports GAA (@SkySportsGAA) July 10, 2021
Many felt it was a harsh punishment for what seems like a fairly innocuous offence. However, Darran O'Sullivan is fully in favour of the referee pulling out the red card for incidents such as this one.
Speaking on this week's GAA Embedded, the former Kerry star said that this type of thing adds nothing to the game and needs to be cut out as a result.
I'm all for the red for it. I think fellas are pushing the boundaries and there is no need for it.
If you start throwing around the red cards and getting fellas off, you'll get that habit gone.
The one with Michael Quinlivan, it was a little rabbit punch into the kidney. Even as a Kerry man, Gavin Crowley should have been punished more than a yellow card as well because he was the one that initiated it.
Michael Quinlivan was foolish and there was a probably a bit of frustration with the way the game was going, but there was no need for. The free was won and the ball was gone.
I think it's the only way to stamp it out and got rid of it. It's all auld shite really, there's no need for it. It only adds aggro late on in the game.
I'm all for it. If fellas are acting the maggot, raising their hand or throwing little things.
If you're going to get sent off, make sure it's for something worthwhile. These little jabs, what's the point of it? I'm not telling fellas to go throwing big ones either!
What are you looking to achieve from it? If your man doesn't hit the deck, he's going to turn around and give you a little jab.
It's handbags. There's nothing worse than watching handbags, it's like kids in a playground. Just grow up and get on with the game.
We want the physical side of it, we want the big hits, but there's nothing physical about what they're doing. It's petulant, it's childish, it's stupid.
I've never been a fan of it. I never liked getting involved in it, although sometimes you do get drawn into it.
It slows down the game and disrupts everything else. Some fellas are doing it because they want to slow down the game, so punish them and get them off.
Get them off and they won't do it again.
If referees apply the rule consistently, you could see this sort of thing being eliminated from the game very quickly.
The spectacle would be all the better for it.
SEE ALSO: Martin McHugh Thinks 'Certain' Donegal Players Are 'Not Good Enough'
