Michael Murphy and Jim McGuinness shake hands after the game. Tom Maher/INPHO

'You have better eyesight than a few other lads': Managers react to controversial Michael Murphy strike and yellow card

Controversy over closed fist challenges.

KERRY MANAGER JACK O’Connor played a straight bat in his post-match press conference when asked about Michael Murphy’s first-half strike on Dylan Casey.

Donegal’s 2012 All-Ireland winning captain put in a couple of closed-fist tackles on the Kerry corner-back in possession and then, after Casey had released the ball, caught him from behind with a fist that made contact on Casey’s throat and jaw area.

The incident was caught by referee David Gough, who awarded Murphy a yellow card when a red card was more appropriate.

Asked about Murphy’s closed fist, Kerry boss O’Connor said, “I agree with you, and you have better eyesight than a few other lads that were looking at it, let’s put it like that.

“Yeah, so why can’t I say it? That’s what happened.”

dylan-casey-gets-treatment-following-a-tackle-with-michael-murphy Kerry's Dylan Casey receives treatment after the incident. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Donegal manager Jim McGuinness said, “I didn’t see anything of it, to be honest with you. But the game is very physical out there.”

He then brought the conversation in a different direction, continuing, “Going back to the kick-outs, the game is very physical on kick-outs at the moment. There’s an awful lot of blocking going on at kick-outs. There’s an awful lot of physicality going on at kick-outs across all the games.

“There’s an awful lot of screening going on in the attacking third, which I think somebody’s going to get hurt from. I think people are going to people to hand them the ball, and they’re running into people to release people. That’s not in the rule book.

“People are talking in the media, coaches are talking about screening – screening is not in the rule book, it’s a black card.

“If you intentionally screen somebody, you’re coming across their path, so I think that’s definitely something that probably needs to be stamped out going into the championship because I do see a bad head injury coming from that one.

“But to your point, the physicality, it’s heavy around the middle.”

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