PENALTY OR NOT?
Maurice Deegan’s decision to book Padraig McNulty for diving was one of the central talking points in Sunday’s All-Ireland football semi-final.
Tyrone trailed Kerry by a point in the 65th minute when McNulty went to ground inside the square.
Instead of awarding the Ulstermen a second penalty, Deegan blew for a Kerry free and booked McNulty for simulation.
Coming at such a key point in the match, the decision was a contentious one, and the initial replays appeared to show significant contact between Aidan O’Mahony and the Tyrone sub.
But The Sunday Game panel highlighted a different angle which appeared to show McNulty grabbing a handful of Mahony’s jersey before hitting the deck.
“A lot of people thought this was a penalty — it absolutely isn’t a penalty,” Kevin McStay said. “It’s a brilliant decision by the referee.”
Padraig has a grab of his hand and a grab of his jersey, and he’s looking for that call.
Former Tyrone Allstar Brian McGuigan and Kerry great Tomás Ó Sé both admitted to changing their minds on seeing the replay.
McGuigan said: “At the actual time, I thought it wasn’t a penalty. I thought McNulty had tried to buy it.
Watching it back, I changed my mind but seeing that picture there, McNulty does grab his (Aidan O’Mahony’s) jersey and go to the ground very easily.
Ó Sé added: “Seeing it in real time I thought it was a penalty. It is very hard to call it in real time.
“Hindsight, with the benefit of slow-motion and all of that, it wasn’t.”
