Clare defeated Wexford in today's All-Ireland quarterfinal but the result was massively altered when Wexford's Rory O'Connor picked up a second yellow card just before halftime.
O'Connor had been given a yellow card by Limerick referee Johnny Murphy in the opening seconds of the game for a clumsy challenge. The first half was bookended by a second caution. In the end, Wexford endured an emphatic 2-28 to 1-19 loss to Clare in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
There was big debate about the sending off on social media. One of the more interesting voices to weigh in was Kilkenny great Michael Fennelly. The eight-time All-Ireland winner has a sports science background and tweeted his feeling that while there is less physicality in the game compared to his playing days, the number of frees and yellow cards remains similar. He said this is impacting the game both for players and spectators.
The game of hurling has never been as clean compared to 10/15 years ago. Frees and yellow cards are far too often and should be very rare we ever see a red card. Game is becoming less attractive to watch for supporters and hugely frustrating for players and mgt.
— Michael Fennelly (@MFennellyKK) June 22, 2024
Fennelly added in the replies:
Has the game really gone more physical ? - feels like the opposite …With players more conditioned does that not mean there’s more protection to the body ? Really think there’s a poor narrative out there at the minute.
He also cited the 2009 League final - where Brian Hogan had to leave the game after a shoulder from Seamus Callanan - as a sign of how the game used to be played.
Today's game's momentum had just turned in the Yellowbellies' favour after David McInerney was dismissed to the sideline for a black card tackle and penalty offence, which Lee Chin converted to reduce the gap back to one point, 0-12 to 1-8. This was quickly followed up by a Conor Foley point to level the match just before the O’Connor dismissal.
The sending-off profoundly affected the game, as Wexford failed to take the lead despite their best efforts. This put Brian Lohan’s side in cruise control for the remainder of the game, adding to Leinster's woes of poor performances in the All-Ireland quarter-finals. The impact of these dismissals on the game's outcome cannot be overstated.
Since the round-robin series was introduced, no third-place team from the province has managed to secure a win against Munster opposition.
This is Clare's Rocky III clash with Kilkenny, their first time making three All-Ireland semi-finals in a row since 1999. Will their clash on July 6th with the Cats be like Rocky’s first clash with Clubber Lang, or will an Apollo Creed training montage help them finally get over the line? It will likely be the last dance for a lot of this Clare panel.
