Munster SHC: What Darragh McCarthy's sending off says about the state of the game

The aftermath of Darragh McCarthy’s sending off against Cork brought with it a mixed reaction. The colour of your shirt likely would have influenced your opinion on the matter.

But there was one takeaway that caught my attention. It wasn’t talk of Seán O’Donoghue and his apparent dive, nor Darragh McCarthy’s actions in the lead up to the sending off.

It was the decision made by referee Johnny Murphy to flash a red card at the beginning of a crunch championship clash between two rivals. A game changing decision. One that meant Tipperary were almost certain to lose. It’s a decision that has been heavily criticised, as if that decision was taken with the intention of swaying the game.

But is that O’Donoghue’s fault? McCarthy’s? Or the referee, Johnny Murphy?

At what point, is it justifiable for a referee to send off a player? Deliberately striking another with a hurley – before the ball has even been thrown in – is enough in my view. Is that really an outrageous take?

It’s a conversation that needs to be had. One side will argue it’s just few shoves and shoulders – the usual shenanigans you get between the top teams, particularly at the start of any hurling game.

LINE 

The crowd are loud, the players fired up. It’s standard practice in the Munster championship, and it’s part of the atmosphere. I don’t think any inter-county hurler would ask for that level of physicality to be removed from the game.

But you’ve got to draw the line somewhere.

What McCarthy did, was in my view, a red card offence. Claiming that the referee is making it all about himself by sending off the player is unmerited. Actions such as McCarthy’s shouldn’t go unpunished.

My intention here is not to single out McCarthy.

It was one incident in a long list of many. Shane Barrett the week prior in Ennis made a similar lapse in judgement, and one he was rightly punished for. Alan Connolly was fortunate to get away with a yellow card after his tangle with Adam Hogan.

The latter’s reputation may have played a part there too.

DIVING 

Rising with the complaints about soft red cards, has been the issue of diving. Adam Hogan has been labelled one – and I’d argue somewhat unfairly.

He won the 2024 Young Hurler of the Year award for good reason. He was crucial to an All-Ireland title winning side and has proven to be an excellent corner-back. It comes back to that saying of ‘don’t hate the player, hate the game’.

Diving, or exaggeration of fouls is creeping into hurling. But players are going to continue to do what is necessary if they can gain any potential edge over their opponents. You can argue Seán O’Donoghue did the same last weekend, but it’s up to the officials to clamp down on it That’s easier said than done. Without some sort of video review system, unless they’ve seen said challenge, referees can’t be certain as to what has happened.

The increase in red cards has been viewed as a negative thing, a new phenomenon that is damaging to the viewability of hurling.

But I’d argue that the physicality – at least in terms of fouls – has also increased. Shoulder to head challenges are becoming far too common. Players are taking hefty hits to the head as a result of these. I fear it will take someone getting seriously hurt before it’s clamped down on.

We all want an intense physical battle. It’s one of the most appealing things of the sport we love.

But there has to be a line drawn. At the moment, the line is being drawn in two different places by fans and officials.

There’s a big difference between shouldering a player and striking them with a hurley.