Kilkenny's loss at the hands of Waterford in Saturday's SHC qualifier had many moments worth talking about after a frenetic finish in extra time, but one incident involving Brian Cody has proven to spark debate more than any other.
A line ball judged in favour of Waterford saw Cody confront his opposite number Derek McGrath, or rather, he was prevented from doing so by the fourth official.
By placing his hands on the man standing in his way, Cody, technically, breached the rules that have proven to be so controversial in recent weeks. Diarmuid Connolly's 12-week ban for getting handsy with an official in Dublin's win over Carlow fresh in the mind, the question was asked by many; could Cody be in trouble?
Not according to Michael Duignan and Anthony Daly, who were joined on The Sunday Game panel by Galway All Star Ann Marie Hayes this week, as they felt that the lack of aggression towards the official meant that no action should be taken.
Is Brian Cody in trouble for putting his hands on the fourth official last night? The @TheSundayGame pundits have their say. #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/j0hDS15fer
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) July 9, 2017
Daly suggested that the fourth officials have become more involved whenever tensions start to rise on the touchline, implying that Cody's actions are naturally going to happen during the course of a game.
It's a world gone mad Des, isn't it like?
From the sport we knew and grew up with, but look, we saw the episode with Diarmuid there a few weeks ago, and he did put his hands on the fourth official, Justin Heffernan, who's job now.. The fourth officials are becoming way more prominent now to go out and interfere with the management coming together.
He came out to say 'lookit you can't go any further than this' and Brian did put his hands on him. Who will decide after that, I don't know.
Duignan too was eager to brush it off as a nothing incident with no malice intended towards the official.
There's no aggression, there's no malice in it.
His malice is for Derek McGrath, he still wants to get to him, it's more a 'get out of me way' sort of thing.
So, lookit, I don't know, I just think it's crazy if there's a suspension over that.
Fair points, it's ultimately the fact that Brian Cody's displeasure is aimed at McGrath and not Heffernan that will likely see no action taken, but the wording that any "minor interference" with official would result in punishment was something hammered home while debating Connolly's ban, which is where those who are suggesting Cody should be reprimanded are coming from.
Ultimately, the panel have it right, there's just so little in it that making a big fuss would cause more problems in the long run.
