DUBLIN’S PHILLY MCMAHON insists he did not intend to eye-gouge Kerry forward Kieran Donaghy during yesterday’s All-Ireland senior football final at Croke Park.
The Ballymun Kickhams club man started at corner-back as the Dubs claimed a 0-12 to 0-9 victory over the Kingdom in difficult conditions.
In the 66th minute, however, Kerry substitute Donaghy complained to referee David Coldrick that he had been poked in the eye and Tomás Ó Sé claimed ‘there’s a case to be answered’ on The Sunday Game last night.
McMahon was asked about the incident by Marty Morrissey on RTÉ Radio 1′s Morning Ireland and he gave his own explanation.
“It was a slippy day and the ball was on the ground to be challenged,” said McMahon. “I went down to challenge the ball and he is a big lad so trying to get around Kieran Donaghy is hard, but look it’s the heat of the battle.
I’m sure we would like to say part of our culture is humility and the same with the Kerry lads. What happened on the pitch stays on the pitch and we shook hands and that was the end of it.
“This is Gaelic football,” he added. “We’re grown men, we play a physical sport and at the end of the day the result is what ends it and we shake hands and get on with it.”
On claiming Sam Maguire, McMahon said: “Brilliant. It’s a long old year and we put a lot of hard work in. We’re no different to any other county in that regard. But to get the reward at the end, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”
