THE sending off

Snippet from the report which will be posted tomorrow

As we thought the half was going to end.

The most dramatic and telling incident in the game was just about to happen.

And unfortunately and all too commonly lately, it wasn't football related but referee related incident.

(You probably seen the incident on the Sunday game but unlike there I'd like to go into it and note.I hate criticising refs , there is always anexception)

Having a direct line behind Doran Harte I had a perfect view of what happened. 

Westmeath trying to build from the back, Harte was coming out with the ball on his own half backline.

Darren went to close him down, with a typical forwards tackle catching him accidentally with a flailing glove across the forehead as he distributed the ball.

Harte went to ground as a result but The dramatic sprawl and face clutching incensed Darren so much to pull him up off the ground by the jersey. 

Not nice to look at but not malicious and NEVER a sending off!!!

I actually made a bet leaving the ground that I will never see a sending off for that again in my lifetime and I'm very confident of that bet holding out.

Here is where you have to Question the referee!!!

-It was a possible Head injury, why did he not blow up Straightaway?

-If he didn't think it was a Foul. Then, Why did he not book Doran Harte?

(this play-acting and dramatics is creeping into the game and not helped by weak referee's)

-By not blowing up and allowing play to continue he further frustrated Darren and indirectly caused the whole incident! 

The whole scenario would have been avoided and Darren wouldn't have took out his frustration, if the ref was competent enough to blow it up and nip it in the bud initially.

Then the sending off itself...

-Why did he send him off?

-On what grounds?
-what rulebook does he have?

At the end of the day it was an overly aggressive jersey tug at most.
Darren did not strike with any part of his body.

The sending off ruined Louth's chances, Darren's mass of work since January (not to mention reputation) and the game as a spectacle.

Surely referees have a duty of care to the players on the pitch and the fans who pay to see the game.

Both of which, Derek Fahy did not live up to either on Saturday night...